8 qualities of shepherd-leaders (2024)

John B. MacDonald

8 qualities of shepherd-leaders (2)

Robert Greenleaf's concept of servant-leadership has wide acceptance. Yet, in a recent conversation, the discussion turned to its limitations.

Can we improve on servant-leadership?

I propose we can by becoming shepherd-leaders.

David Bennett in Metaphors of Ministry points out that, in the Bible, "the shepherd image is one of the few that is applied exclusively to leaders."

No fewer than eight times in the Old Testament, God is portrayed as the shepherd of his people. In the Gospels, Jesus Christ is described as the good shepherd. There are no better teachers or models of leadership.

There are at least eight qualities of a shepherd-leader we can learn from the good shepherd in John 10:1-18.

1. Boundaries. As I've written elsewhere, every relationship is defined and preserved by boundaries. Stepping over those boundaries damages or destroys the relationship.

A true leader will establish and maintain boundaries. For the shepherd, there is a sheep pen within which only his sheep may gather (10:1-2).

For leaders in every area of life, there are appropriate ethical, moral, and other boundaries that leaders need to establish and maintain for the benefit of those they lead.

2. Example. The shepherd "goes on ahead of [the sheep], and his sheep follow him" (10:3-4).

Any true leader will lead by example. It is not a case of "do as I say, not as I do." True leaders must be worthy models to follow.

3. Trustworthy. Sheep follow the good shepherd "because they know his voice" (10:4). This is learned over time from the consistent and caring treatment of the sheep by the shepherd.

A leader needs to cultivate a deep sense of trust within those he or she leads. This is a quality in which one's voice evokes the character and care of a shepherd-leader.

4. Provision. A shepherd provides good pasture (10:9). In Psalm 23, a 'sheep' says of the Shepherd:

  • I shall not be in want.
  • He makes me lie down in green pastures.
  • He leads me beside quiet waters.
  • He restores my soul.

True leaders provide for the real needs of those they lead.

For instance, they do not grind down their employees in unhealthy environments at less than livable wages. They do not fire them without caring about what happens to them. When it comes to a leader's choices, a person is more important than a profit.

A leader acts in a way that gives "life" to those he or she leads (10:10).

5. Sacrificial. Five times Jesus speaks about laying down his life for the sheep (10:11, 15, 17-18). The good shepherd chooses personal sacrifice for the welfare of his sheep.

The same is true of shepherd-leaders. They willingly experience personal sacrifice for the benefit of those they lead. It's not about the leader; it's about those being led.

6. Invested. The shepherd has a personal stake in the well-being of the sheep. A hired hand will abandon them when the going gets tough or dangerous—for him, it's only a job. The shepherd is invested in the sheep and sticks with them through thick and thin (10:12).

So it is with true leaders. They are personally invested in those they lead.

7. Relational. "I know my sheep and my sheep know me" (10:14).

The true leader takes the time and energy to build solid and genuine relationships with those he or she leads. Those led are not viewed as mere employees, servants, or objects; each is known and treated as an "image of God."

8. Visionary. Jesus had a vision of the future and lived for the fulfillment of that vision. In this case, it was increasing the size of his flock – those who would become his genuine followers (10:16).

True leaders have a clear vision for the future and live toward it.

These are a few qualities we can learn from the good shepherd to become better leaders.

So, with due respect to Greenleaf, I propose we press beyond being servant-leaders to becoming shepherd-leaders.


8 qualities of shepherd-leaders (4)


8 qualities of shepherd-leaders (5)

Dr. John B. MacDonald has served for decades as a lawyer and pastor-teacher. He is an associate with Outreach Canada and focuses on equipping and encouraging others to become more like Jesus Christ and to live all of life with God-honoring competence and joy.

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8 qualities of shepherd-leaders (2024)

FAQs

What is a shepherd-leader? ›

Shepherds of leadership are pundits expected to create positive change, to protect the core while simultaneously fueling advancement. They are expected to guide and nourish opportunity. They nurture and docent their flock who follow and pave the path, fueling the mission's light ahead as the shepherd leads from behind.

What are the roles of a good shepherd? ›

Shepherds watch for enemies who might attack the sheep, and they defend them when necessary. They tend to sick or wounded sheep and search for and rescue lost or trapped ones. In Christ's teachings, shepherds love their sheep and try to earn their trust. The sheep know, love, and trust the shepherd above all others.

How can we be a good shepherd? ›

Characteristics of a good shepherd
  1. Taking time to listen. The Bible says that Jesus knew what was in men's hearts. ...
  2. Offering protection. The good shepherd also protects his sheep. ...
  3. Sacrificial actions. Most importantly, the good shepherd loves his sheep and sacrifices. ...
  4. Practical application.
9 Apr 2013

What is a shepherd answer? ›

A shepherd is a person whose job is to look after sheep.

What is the full meaning of shepherd? ›

noun. shep·​herd ˈshe-pərd. : a person who tends sheep.

How is a leader like a shepherd? ›

He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”

Why is it called shepherd? ›

Shepherd comes from the Old English sceaphierde: sheepherder. Such a person protects sheep from animals that would attack them, keeps them from wandering, and otherwise takes care of the flock. The word is also a verb that describes care of a group — sheep, other animals, even people.

What are the 7 principles of the Way of the shepherd? ›

Seven Principles from "The Way of the Shepherd"
  • Know the Condition of Your Flock. ...
  • Discover the Shape of Your Sheep. ...
  • Help Your Sheep Identify with You. ...
  • Make Your Pasture a Safe Place. ...
  • The Staff of Direction. ...
  • The Rod of Correction. ...
  • The Heart of the Shepherd.
18 Aug 2020

Who is called the Good Shepherd? ›

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). The relationship of believers with Jesus Christ is that of sheep to a shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd; we are his flock.

How does a shepherd lead his sheep? ›

Shepherds move forward at the head of the flock and the sheep follow because they know and trust the shepherd.

What are the qualities of a leader? ›

The Top 10 Qualities of a Great Leader
  • Vision. ...
  • Inspiration. ...
  • Strategic & Critical Thinking. ...
  • Interpersonal Communication. ...
  • Authenticity & Self-Awareness. ...
  • Open-Mindedness & Creativity. ...
  • Flexibility. ...
  • Responsibility & Dependability.

What are the four good qualities of a good leader? ›

Effective leaders are competent, skilled, secure, and considerate. These leaders find time for everyone; they are genuine and authentic in their communications and actions.

How does the Bible define a leader? ›

1. A leader honors and submits to God's authority. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible contrasts leaders who honor God by loving Him and doing what He said with those who chose to honor themselves by doing what they thought was best.

What is the heart of a shepherd? ›

To have a shepherd's heart means also to know your sheep and be known by them. The shepherd lives in close proximity to the flock under his charge. They become accustomed to the sound of his voice. They follow him gladly and he cares for them with individualizing attention.

What qualities of the shepherd you like most Why? ›

Ans: The shepherd was poor but humble, honest and hospitable. The king was pleased with the shepherd's goodness and wisdom. His wisdom, common sense and above all, honesty were his real wealth.

Why did God choose the shepherds? ›

God saw the shepherds as a group who would be honest messengers. The angels' message to them was, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). In their time, shepherds were known as people who were honest and straightforward. Their words did not mean authority, but meant truth.

What is the good shepherd an example of? ›

The Good Shepherd lays His life down for the sheep — Jesus' example is for us to be a servant-leader more concerned for the welfare of our people than ourselves.

What is the spiritual gift of shepherding? ›

The gift of shepherding is the gift of mentoring and providing spiritual guidance to others to help them develop in the discipleship and faith formation. Shepherds take an active and individualized interest in the life of faith of others. Shepherds share from their own faith journey to make the way easier for others.

Who is a shepherd in the church? ›

A shepherd is simply someone who shepherds, or cares for, God's flock. In our churches today we typically call them pastors. However, our English word “pastor” is not actually found in Scripture, but comes from the Latin word pastor, which means “shepherd.” In other words, your pastors are your shepherds.

How many shepherds are there? ›

Shepherd or sheepdogs come in all shapes in sizes, with around 30 different types of shepherd dogs altogether.

Can a female be a shepherd? ›

The more maternal female shepherd tends to attach themselves to the entire family while the males can become more bonded to one person.

What is the Bible meaning of shepherd? ›

'The Lord is my shepherd' is a picture of caring, courage, and guidance. In a general sense a shepherd refers to a keeper of sheep. This is the person who tends, feeds, or guards the flocks.

What do the 7 principles do? ›

The Constitution reflects seven basic principles. They are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, republicanism, and individual rights. principle, known as popular sovereignty, states that the people have the right to alter or abolish their government.

What is shepherd process? ›

The shepherding process is a special reviewing process. The shepherd guides the sheep into a more mature understanding of his or her pattern. Shepherds are individuals, with experience in pattern writing, assigned to an author's paper with the expressed interest in helping the author improve the pattern.

How is Jesus like a shepherd? ›

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. Because His people are so needy, God loves to call Himself a shepherd. Many of the greatest men of the Bible were shepherds and their character points to Jesus Christ.

How true is the good shepherd? ›

Although it is a fictional film loosely based on real events of James Jesus Angleton, it is advertised as telling the untold story of the birth of counterintelligence in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The film was released on December 22, 2006, to mixed reviews.

What is the shepherd ministry? ›

The Shepherd's Ministry, a congregational care lay ministry, sometimes an extension of pastoral care, serves as a way for members to take care of each other, according to Lauri, “It can be tool to help the pastors care for the congregation,” she says. “It is also neighbors caring for neighbors.”

Why do shepherds lead from behind? ›

The shepherd was "Leading from Behind" . This was the style based on faith, trust and also care. The Faith and Trust was on the sheep in the front who knew the path as they were taught by him and could now lead the new and young. The Care and support part came from Leader by Leading from Behind.

How do shepherds control sheep? ›

The team found that sheepdogs likely use just two simple rulesl: to collect the sheep when they're dispersed and drive them forward when they're aggregated. In the model, a single shepherd could herd a flock of more than 100 individuals using these two simple rules.

What is the 10 qualities of a good leader? ›

Good leaders possess self-awareness, garner credibility, focus on relationship-building, have a bias for action, exhibit humility, empower others, stay authentic, present themselves as constant and consistent, become role models and are fully present.

What are the 20 qualities of a good leader? ›

20 Qualities of a Good Leader
  • Collaborative. Leadership is a collective process that requires leaders and their team members to work together to achieve success. ...
  • Accountable. ...
  • Courageous. ...
  • Good listener. ...
  • Effective communicator. ...
  • Flexibility. ...
  • Empathetic. ...
  • Focused.
27 Jun 2022

What are the 7 importance of leadership? ›

A leader must be able to motivate their team. A team that is easily motivated will overcome obstacles to achieve goals. A good leader will understand the different needs of each team member and knows ways to satisfy them. By creating a great environment, it will support and encourage team members.

What are the 3 most important qualities of a leader? ›

Passion, teamwork, and social skills are three important qualities for leaders to possess in order to be effective. Learn how to bring these qualities into your workplace and put your best foot forward in both your personal and professional life.

What are the 5 qualities of a good team leader? ›

Top 10 Qualities of a Good Team Leader
  • Leadership is not all about you. ...
  • Honesty, Integrity and Humility. ...
  • Hold your team (and yourself) accountable. ...
  • Good leaders make a decisive commitment to a vision. ...
  • Know thy self and believe in thy self. ...
  • Successful team leaders speak well and listen better. ...
  • Achieve goals in good time.

What are the 9 tips to be a better leader? ›

  • Engage in honest, open communication.
  • Connect with your team members.
  • Encourage personal and professional growth.
  • Keep a positive attitude.
  • Teach employees instead of giving orders.
  • Set clear employee goals and expectations.
  • Give direct feedback about performance.
  • Ask for feedback on your leadership.

Who is a leader according to Jesus? ›

A true leader is not only subject to Jesus Christ in mind, will, and body; a true leader is serving Jesus Christ by serving his people. 3.

How to become a good leader? ›

08 Leadership Development
  1. Build relationships.
  2. Develop people.
  3. Lead change.
  4. Inspire others.
  5. Think critically.
  6. Communicate clearly.
  7. Create accountability.

What is a true leader quote? ›

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” — John C Maxwell. A great leader has the ability to inspire action through proper guidance and mentorship and uses their knowledge to educate others along the way. A great leader also practises what they preach by also “going the way”.

What does it mean to be called a shepherd? ›

a person who herds, tends, and guards sheep. a person who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group of people.

How does the Bible define a shepherd? ›

The Old Testament refers to the shepherd to designate not only persons who herded sheep but also monarchical leaders (2 Sm 5:2) and God himself (Is 40:11; Ps 23:1). The prophetic literature refers to national leaders as shepherds (Ezk 34:1; Jr 23:1) (see Gray n.d.). The New Testament has 16 references to 'shepherds'.

What does good shepherd mean in the Bible? ›

The Good Shepherd (Greek: ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, poimḗn ho kalós) is an image used in the pericope of John 10:1–21, in which Jesus Christ is depicted as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Similar imagery is used in Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34:11–16.

Why is God called a shepherd? ›

In introducing his mission among men, Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11.) In the Savior's time and place, a shepherd who was the owner of the sheep not only loved them but would risk his life for them.

What is the rule of a shepherd? ›

Flock Welfare

A shepherd's primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of the flock. Some flocks may include as many as 1,000 sheep. The shepherd will graze the animals, herding them to areas of good forage, and keeping a watchful eye out for poisonous plants.

What does shepherd mean spiritually? ›

In Jesus' description of Himself in John 10 he adds to our understanding of what makes for a good shepherd. The good shepherd is sacrificial. He is willing to ignore his own needs in order to meet the needs of the sheep. Over and over in the passage he states the good shepherd gives his own life for his sheep.

What did Jesus say about being a shepherd? ›

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). The relationship of believers with Jesus Christ is that of sheep to a shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd; we are his flock.

Who is the great shepherd? ›

Hebrews 13 says that Jesus is the Great Shepherd. He is great in His glorious triumph over every enemy (Hebrews 13:20). 1 Peter 5 says that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

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