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Shepherding is not a remote form of leadership; it is high touch. Shepherd leaders are out among their followers, assessing and meeting needs. They also commit considerable time listening to the flock, asking them to share their successes, failures, challenges, and problems.
Good shepherd leaders make certain the sheep know their voice. This involves making regular presentations to the team and getting out of the office and away from the computer for planned visits to operational areas and unplanned walking around each week.
Just as in shepherding, leadership is not an activity that can be done remotely. The shepherd must be present, asking “What can I do for you? How can I make your work more effective?”
McCormick and Davenport describe two critical tools for today’s Shepherd Leader:
- Compass: Tool to provide a sense of overall direction, so wherever people are, they can move toward the intended destination
- Frame: Boundaries or context to help make decisions and move forward
Ask a real shepherd about the key to successful shepherding, and he’ll say, “Shepherding is the easiest job in the world once you get your sheep vaccinated…and get the head flies under control…and the screw worm…and the liver fluke…and…” Shepherds must remove the irritants. Over the last 10 years, this is the most memorable part of the book for me and a principle I try to employ as I lead people. What about you? What are some common irritants afflicting your followers? If you don’t know, consider asking them today…
Another key point that McCormick and Davenport emphasize is on work-life balance. They point out that leaders often consider the “demands” on their time but rightly emphasize that balancing your life is as much about increasing the supply—filling the cup—as it is about managing the demands. What are you doing to increase your “supply” to make sure you can handle your work-life demands?
Finally, McCormick and Davenport leave readers by saying, “Our goal in writing this book is to make Psalm 23 a regular meditation for faith-centered leaders worldwide.” So, if you haven’t done so lately, read the 23rd Psalm today…and consider it from a leadership perspective…