Image from an article on Medium.com: https://kevin-gordon.medium.com/hierarchy-of-leadership-f5a82b589342
Leaders like to complain that it’s lonely at the top. We think a leader is a one-man band. A single conductor leads the entire orchestra. A single quarterback leads his team. A single pilot flies a plane. A single teacher leads a classroom. Nations are often led by a single executive, whether king, president, or tin-horn dictator.
But we knew as long ago as the days of Moses that leadership works better as a shared responsibility. Moses gave up trying to do it all himself. His father-in-law saw him struggling to judge every dispute that came up among the nation of over a million people. Jethro told Moses he would wear himself out and advised him to delegate—to enlist wise men to carry some of the burden. Years later, Moses recounted the story in an address to the nation:
“I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number. May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has promised you! How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife? Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’
You answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have said to do is good.’
So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes. Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do” Deuteronomy 1:9-18.
Leadership is not a one-man band. It is a team effort. Moses may have led the nation, but he was propped up by the support of a team of leaders: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. This was a hierarchy not unlike a modern army with its generals, colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, corporals, and privates.
There is a need for gifted leaders who can lead hundreds or even thousands. But there is a greater need for those who will lead only ten. As Moses describes it, for every man who leads a thousand, a nation will need a hundred men who can lead ten men each[1]. The result is a leadership team.
Leadership is not meant to be the solitary experience it was for Moses. A single conductor may lead the entire orchestra—but he is supported by assistant conductors, rehearsal directors and others. A single quarterback may lead his team on the field, but he is supported by not only a head coach but a team of coaches and players who serve as team captains.
A single pilot flies a plane—but many pilots are supported by co-pilots. And where would teachers and professors be without the support of an administrative team of principals, presidents, department heads, deans, and more? Nations may be led by a single executive, but kings, presidents, and even dictators rely on a large supporting cast.
If you are a leader, never be too proud to enlist good helpers—and use them. Rely on them. Find some people who are not YES people. Leaders need people who will hold them accountable, ask hard questions, and say NO sometimes.
If you are not a leader, be willing to play a supporting role. Maybe you are not called to lead thousands. But can you lead ten? Such a servant role is an essential part of any leadership team.
Dear God, teach us how to lead and how to follow. Give us the humility to listen and gain wisdom from those around us. Remind us that leadership and roles and titles are not the point. We want to serve you. We are available. Use us to provide Biblical, Godly wisdom to whatever organization or circumstances we may find ourselves in.
AΩ.
[1] If a population needs one leader for every thousand, one for every hundred, one for every fifty, and one for every ten, then over 13% of the people will be required to participate in leadership.
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