Capstone: Apl Prac & Princ Ldg

3.1 Assignment. One Anothering Devotional Part 3

Getting Started

Think about some of the best (and worst) leaders you have experienced. How did those leaders make you feel about yourself as a person or as a vital part of the organization? Compare some of the better and worse leaders to each other. What’s the difference between how they interacted with you and made you feel?

For this devotional assignment, we’ll consider another important “one anothering” passage in scripture that has crucial connections to what it means to lead well.

Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:

· Articulate the relational element of leadership in community.

Background Information

Access the drop-down below to read or listen to Philippians 2:1-4.

Philippians 2:1-4

One of the first things that you might recognize as you read or listened to the Philippians passage is that it contained the “one anothering” principle (be like-minded) that we looked at last workshop from the Roman’s Bible passage. However, this workshop’s Bible section goes even further to indicate that we should esteem or think of others as better than ourselves. To be sure, the passage is not suggesting that we think poorly of ourselves. Rather, as articulated in verse 4, we should look out for others’ interests and not just our own interests.

Consider a few scenarios in organizations where the principle might play out. For example, an individual or team achieves a goal, but the leader takes the credit (or, conversely, gives appropriate credit). A leader gives their employees lots of freedom on how to do their work compared to micro-managing everything. Or a leader claims excessive company perks for themselves while instituting pay cuts or reductions in force elsewhere. What do these (and other possible) scenarios suggest about whether or not the leader is truly as concerned for others’ interests as their own?

Reflect again on the questions posed in the Getting Started section about better versus worse leaders you have experienced. How much of your reflection connects to whether that leader “esteemed” “valued” or “thought” or “treated” you better than they did themselves... or at least as equals?

Instructions

1. Read or listen to the Bible Passage noted in the Background section. 

2. Review information in the Getting Started and Background sections. 

3. Consider the following thought starters: 

a. What one leader comes to mind when you think about a leader who valued you more than they valued themselves? 

b. How did that person make you feel? How did it impact your motivation? Work ethic? Engagement in the organization?

c. What is one leadership theme, principle, practice, or source that you studied in the program that you can relate to valuing others more than yourself in the organization? 

d. What lessons can you deduce from your experiences and reflection to help you in your current and future leadership roles? In your personal development? In your spiritual development? 

4. After reading and reviewing this information, write and submit a half-page reflection paper (Word document) that shares your thoughts/perspectives on the themes of this devotional.  You do not need to answer each of the thought prompts. Rather, reflect on the questions and then compose a thoughtful response.