Biblical Business Leadership: STRESSSýnishorn

2. Organizational Stress from Below.

As leaders, we want the right talent in our organization, the brightest and best on our team. An all-star team helps bring success to us and the company where we work.

Within limits, that is.

Sometimes, one or more of our team members may meet with success that is recognized and praised beyond our organization. And sometimes, their success may lead us to feel threatened, inadequate or even jealous.

An organizational stress, coming from below, within our own organization may set in and begin to affect our actions.

The Bible recounts such a situation with King Saul, CEO of the Israeli nation, and a high-talent young man named David.

David had shown outstanding courage and success in his battle with Goliath, leading Saul to take action in order to add David to his team:

As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?”

Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.” The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”  – 1 Samuel 17:55-56

David’s addition to the team was a good one, pleasing Saul and the rest of the organization as well:

Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.  – 1 Samuel 18:5

Soon enough, however, David’s successes became so popular that Saul felt both jealous and threatened:

When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing…: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”  – 1 Samuel 18:6-8

When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.  – 1 Samuel 18:15

In his stress, our CEO Saul acted irrationally, even throwing a spear at David, and then taking steps to rid the organization of David: placing him on assignment away from the corporate offices, setting him up for failure, and even assigning others in the organization to kill him.

In the case of David, Saul was responding to a perceived rather than an actual threat. David had no intention of seeking promotion or taking over. 

Unfortunately, one of Saul’s shortcomings as a leader was his inability to deal constructively with his perceptions of danger. That weakness undermined his mental health as well as the stability of his leadership. 

To remain effective, every leader must learn how to manage stress – even when it comes from within their own organization.

Reflection / Application

1. Have you ever felt threatened by someone in your own organization? Was the threat real or imagined? How did you handle it?

2. King Saul clearly went overboard in his reaction to David. Have you ever over-reacted to a perceived threat in your own organization or team? What would you do differently the next time?

3. Reflecting on the story of Saul, none of it was warranted, was it? Saul imagined David to be a threat, and became jealous and even afraid. What should Saul have done instead of over-reacting? What keeps you from being jealous or afraid in similar situations?