Being a leader is an honour, a privilege, a status that many aspire to have, though it comes with its demands and challenges. The perks of leadership are quite attractive but it takes skill, wisdom and insight to succeed as a leader.  

This was the situation for some young men; twelve of them, who had been given the leadership responsibility to grow and expand a community after going through three years of extensive training and mentorship. It was time for them to put to practice all that they had learnt from their King before He moved on to another assignment. 

Everything was going on well, the lives of the people improved daily, businesses excelled and  families expanded as children were being born in different homes. Life was good until a group of people became uncomfortable because their needs were not being met as expected. They felt their widows were being neglected, especially in the distribution of food. This was not abnormal, considering the fact that the community was growing and the needs of the people were on the increase. 

These twelve men came together and called a meeting of some of the members of the community who worked with them in the different community groups. In that meeting, they acknowledged the concerns and complaints of the people and they had a strategy session to come up with plans on how to handle this situation. They agreed that widows are vulnerable and it would be risky to ignore their cry for attention; however, they also acknowledged that it will not be beneficial for the community as a whole if they, as leaders, choose to focus only on distributing food to the widows. It will affect the growth and stability of the community. 

They came to a conclusion. 

Appoint seven new leaders to take care of this group of people. 

This decision was shared in the next community meeting and everyone was happy. It was successfully implemented and the community grew even more and their impact was felt all over the city. 

As I read this story from the Bible (yes, it is a true story about the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ), I learnt a few things about good leadership and the results that it can yield in a family, a community, an organization or in any setting where people are being led. 

• Good leaders are attentive listeners. The twelve disciples heard the complaint about the Hellenist widows being neglected in the distribution of food. They did not ignore or dismiss the complaints as irrelevant. They paid attention to the details and took action. 
• Good leaders are caring humans. The twelve disciples left other assignments for a while to discuss this complaint and to proffer a solution. Though their main assignment as the leaders was to spend time in prayer and teaching the word of God, they were also mindful of the physical needs of the people. They were in touch with the day-to-day realities of the other believers. I mean, how do you expect someone to listen to and make sense out of your Biblical teachings when they have bills to pay and mouths to feed; even worse when they know that they are being deprived of what is rightfully theirs? 
• Good leaders are strategic thinkers. The twelve disciples carefully considered the needs of the widows as well as the needs of the whole community before taking a decision. It was not an emotional decision; it was not a decision made in favour of a particular group. The widows’ physical needs were reviewed, the people’s spiritual needs were considered as well and based on these two main factors, an objective decision was made.  
• Good leaders are wise delegators. The twelve disciples understood the importance of delegation. They knew that it was unwise to take up this additional responsibility. Why should you experience a burnout as a leader when there are people on your team who are skilled enough and willing to relieve you of some responsibilities?  

I observed that in the process of exhibiting these good leadership skills, the twelve disciples provided an opportunity; a platform for seven men to utilize their God-given gifts, talents and abilities. One of them was called Stephen and the story of his love and commitment to God is one that stands out today in the history of the early church. 

I also observed that this did not hinder the growth and expansion of the community of believers in the city because it was a win-win for everyone. It was obvious that no one was left out, no one was discouraged, no one felt  judged, no one felt alone; rather, according to scriptures,  the decision “pleased the whole multitude”. 

Leadership is successful when value is placed on the people; not on the purpose alone. 

Leadership is about the people. 

If we understand this principle as leaders in our families, our various communities, groups or in our organizations, we will definitely succeed. 

I have read this story a few times but I never saw this lesson on the humaneness of leadership until now. I will encourage you to check it out in the Bible. It is recorded in the sixth chapter of the book called Acts. You may not believe in God but I know that the Bible has a lot of principles and guidelines that will help you succeed, not just as a leader, but also as a human being. 

Let me know if this made sense to you. I wish you well.