5 Principles of Biblical Management
by Chris Kinney
This Sunday we looked at James 5:1-6 and noted that the verses give clear warnings to those who lead and employ others; specifically employers are not to defraud those under their employ. What then should employers do? What does the Bible say about how to treat our employees?
I believe examining how God sets up Adam in the garden is a replicable model applied throughout the rest of scripture, which is also attainable for modern day employers.
It should be noted that this is not a “silver bullet” strategy, and a great deal of achieved success or recognized failure will be determined by the people we choose to hire and our ability to execute these 5 principles.
- Principle Number 1: Give your employees plenty of room. We see God give Adam a large garden. The sheer amount of vegetation described hints at the amount of space. In the same way, our employees need space, too. If we are always looking over their shoulder into their “work bubbles,” we create an atmosphere that communicates we do not trust them. If we have hired the right person for the job, they should be able to achieve the principles we give them while having the space to work in a way that suits them best. For example, just because I find success by being up at 5:30 in the morning and employing a morning routine that does not end until 9am doesn’t mean that a talented employee who works for me is lazy because he gets up at 10am and works until midnight.
- Principle Number 2: Resource your employees for success. Adam had what he needed to work the garden because God made sure of it. When disparity did arise, he quickly moved to fix it: for instance, God created Eve. In the same way we as leaders must be passionate about ensuring we have given our people the tools they need to be successful. Significantly, Adam wasn’t worried about his basic needs, he had food, water, shelter, etc. in adequate supply. As leaders, we need to pay people in a manner that ensures they too have living resources in adequate supply.
- Principle Number 3: Give clear guidelines around your expectations. As leaders, we have to own the process from communication to translation, meaning it is our responsibility to make sure the employee has internalized our expectations, not just heard them. Both Adam and Eve knew they had sinned against God because the expectations had been clearly communicated and they understood those expectations well enough to understand the seriousness of the consequences of working outside of the guidelines.
- Principle Number 4: Give your employees a consistent presence: Not giving them enough space is unhealthy, but making them feel abandoned and alone will often create the same result: an underperforming and unmotivated employee. We see God being active and aware in the Garden. Adam didn’t have to figure out that he needed Eve; God was present enough to recognize and act on it. With our employees, we need to be consistent in engaging them in ways that motivate and inspire them. This will look different for each employee; as leaders, we should cater ourselves to them. Some will want a one-on-one each week where they can run down their checklist of questions; others want a weekly lunch to ask questions and hear feedback. Still others will feel encouraged by your making time to ask them about their family, telling them what yours is up to in turn.
- Principle Number 5: Acknowledge their results & show compassion. Adam was given work to do and that work was done very well, although not perfectly. Even though Adam had a hand in bringing sin into our world, God still gave him credit for naming all the animals of creation. As leaders, we should prioritize thanking our employees on the biggest stages possible and be clear about what they have done to earn our praise. When there is failure, we should again recognize the result and not avoid the consequences, while at the same time showing compassion. God didn’t shield Adam and Eve from the consequences of their actions, but he did provide them hope of a future serpent crusher in the midst of those consequences. As leaders, we do a disservice to those who follow us when we choose to either acknowledge their failure OR show compassion. It should never be one or the other. Truth and grace go hand in hand.
Leading is hard. Even if we do it all perfectly, people still eat apples they are not supposed to eat. As leaders serving a perfect king, our job is to give people room to grow, support that growth, and provide an equal measure of truth and grace at each step along the way. We find our effectiveness as leaders revealed in the success of those for whom we build stages.