Effective team leadership requires divine intervention, according to Laurie Beth Jones, author of “Jesus CEO.” In her new book, “Teach Your Team to Fish: Using Ancient Wisdom for Inspired Teamwork” (Crown Business, 2002, $22), Jones lists four principles of team leadership she says are derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The team leader must excite people; ground them by preparing them for bumps ahead; transform them by recognizing their talents and listening to their problems; then release the team by giving them the authority to act.
Team leaders are usually good at exciting the team, but stumble over grounding them.
“They try to avoid the hard talk and issues hoping they’ll go away,” she said.
Even fewer people are willing to take the third step of transforming people, she said, because it takes time to get to know the people you work with. “This is what makes people feel invisible.”
Jones said if your team leader is failing the group in the biblical sense, then go forth and become the “virtual leader” by practicing these principles for yourself. Halo not required.
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