The Lawkeepers’ Laws of Leadership
Following in the footsteps of that very successful author, John Maxwell, I am in the process of writing a new book called The Ten Biblical Rules of Leadership taken from the Pharisees. So far, I've only been able to work out a handful of the ten rules; but I'm confident I can get it to the magic ten needed to turn my book into a best-selling management/leadership text.
Here's a sneak preview (all references are to John?s Gospel):
Rule 1:
Always make shoring up your own position the number one vision and priority (11:47-48). It is, after all, all about you (12:19).
Rule 2:
If another leader is showing you up, do all you can to undermine his leadership. Below are some key strategies in achieving this outcome:
- Exploit legal technicalities to accuse your rival of wrongdoing (8:13, 9:16).
- Lying is a key tool in any process of undermining, so learn the art from an expert consultant (John 8:44, 48, 55), and then use the tool to good effect (10:21).
- In particular, always understate your rival's abilities in public (8:53), and wherever possible try to discredit him by ignoring his good work, and focusing on trivial things that you can portray as major failings (9:16).
- Make false accusations wherever possible (9:24), and if the actual evidence doesn't support your position:
- seek to recruit people who might contradict it (9:18);
- attack those who are supporting that evidence by accusing them of collusion (9:28) and by slandering them, eg. by bringing the legitimacy of their birth into question (9:34); and
- if possible, destroy the physical evidence altogether (12:10-11) so that it doesn't undermine you on an ongoing basis going forwards.
Rule 3:
Threaten others with unpleasant consequences if they support your rival (12:42). Generally most people will be too weak not to succumb to that sort of pressure (12:43).
Rule 4:
If Rules 1-3 don't solve the problem with your rival, and your own leadership position remains under threat, plot and conspire to remove him from his position altogether using more drastic measures (11:53). Don't be afraid to use physical intimidation along the way (18:22). If this all gets a bit distasteful for you, delegate and ultimately pass the job on to an ‘outplacement agency’ who can do the job for you (18:24, 28), and then stand by ‘innocently’ watching—glad that it is not you who is getting blood on your hands. Make sure your rival is not honoured as he exits; rather, make sure you get the last word (19:21).