Biblical Business Leadership: STRESSНамуна

5. Stress in your Organization.

As leaders, we are not only faced with the responsibility for dealing with our own stress, but also the stress of those working in our organization. 

Clearly, if there is stress in our organization, there is a higher potential for conflict and a lower probability of excellent performance.

It is a wise leader who therefore pays attention to this advice from the Bible:

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds  – Proverbs 27:23

It might seem obvious, but knowing the condition of those we lead is a pre-requisite to good leadership.

In addition, check this advice about team-building from God on how Israel’s leaders should establish their armies:

Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” – Deuteronomy 20:8

Do you see what is being said here? Even just one disheartened or fearful soldier can ruin the outlook of the entire company.  

In the same way, unmanaged stress within the organization – even if it is just one person – can limit the performance of the entire team or department. This makes the advice to “know the condition of our flocks” even more important. 

Of course, knowing is not enough, and the second part of the short proverb from wise King Solomon says as much, telling us to “give careful attention to our herds.”

As leaders and managers, we have the responsibility to both “know” what stresses lie in our organizations, and “give careful attention” to those stresses with actions where needed. Knowledge & action, hand in hand.

Although it is beyond the scope of this short study to lay out biblical principles for the actions related to employee management, let’s close with some words of wisdom as given in the New Testament for both management and employees:

Employees: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do…

Managers: …treat your [employees] in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

– Ephesians 6:7-9

Our work situations will vary, and oftentimes it will be very clear that people may not be working to “serve the Lord”, but acting out of less noble motivations, with less than optimal effect on others and on company results. 

As a leader, God has given you responsibility not only for those results, but also for the health and well-being of those that you lead. 

Your leadership role means you need to know the “condition of your flocks”, and “give careful attention” to those we lead, especially as we are working for the Lord.

Reflection / Application

1. Have you seen the effects of stress on your team’s performance? How might things have gone if there was no unhealthy stress in the team?

2. As a leader, how much time do you spend thinking about the “condition of your flocks” as compared to achieving company goals?

3. Jesus led by serving others and showing compassion. Reflect on how you can better serve those you lead, and where you might show more compassion. What difference will that make at your company, and more importantly, what difference will that make for the Kingdom?