Work as Worship: A 5-Day Video Bible StudySample

What kind of leader do you want to be? Your workplace will thrive under leaders who serve rather than dictate. What does that look like? Donnie Smith shares four qualities common to servant leaders. The former CEO at Tyson Foods crafted a company that would effectively feed the world while also making a positive difference in people’s lives. His four leadership principles focus on servanthood:

Caring: How do you show your employees that you care about them? Some ways come to mind: giving them necessary and helpful training to do their jobs, paying them a fair wage, providing a safe work environment, noticing their moods and appropriately inquiring about their personal life—especially when you can see a difference in their countenance. This involves active listening, and a true sense of caring about them. The lack of these efforts reveals that you don’t care about your employees: you don’t listen well, you don’t resource them well, you ignore them outside of work.

Purpose: As a leader, you spend a lot of time at work and can be tempted to find your identity in work, slipping into thinking that the job is what gives you your value. Donnie encourages leaders to know, and pursue, that fulfilling passion outside of the office—something that gives you purpose. “You’ll never be more effective than when you are fulfilling the purpose for which God created you.” What’s your purpose? Have you spent time discovering that?

Courage: The spirit of fear comes from the enemy, not God (2 Tim 1:7). God designed the servant-leadership model to help others be all that God intended them to be, to create a work environment to encourage the flourishing of employees. It’s a different kind of leadership model, and it takes courage. Donnie asks, “Are you okay being different? Do you have the courage to lead Jesus’s way,” instead of the popular way of the world?

Principles: What are your standards for living? Donnie advocates faithfulness to things central to his life: family, work, and Jesus. Put those principles first, then let your standard of living—the financial aspect—come after. Seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness—those standards for living—and all those things (standard of living) will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).