Leading and Thinking Christianly in the Workplace

I believe that it is practical and makes good business sense to lead and think Christianly in the workplace. To think and lead Christianly is to attempt to emulate the interpersonal and managerial skills of Christ; to value people as people and not simply as expendable resources. When one begins to think like Christ and view employees a beings created in the image of God, a holistic view of man is developed. Suddenly, an employee becomes more than a paper pusher or a report processer. Through Christ’s eyes one can begin to see employees as humans with strengths and needs, skills and weaknesses. When a leader who desires to think and lead Christianly sees the realness of the person following him, he will desire to not simply use the physical person, but will make efforts to satisfy the whole person (body, mind, and soul). Christ saw the potential in men and women of all social, moral, and physical standings and He constantly worked toward drawing them in the direction of their full potential.
To think like Christ is to view people as God sees them and to treat them with dignity, respect, compassion, integrity. Just as God saw potential and character hidden in the person of Gideon-the “valiant warrior” hiding out in the wine press, so a leader who thinks Christianly should seek to find the true potential of his subordinates and draw it out of them to the betterment of the person and the benefit of the entire workgroup/company. (Judges 6-8) The holistic Christ-like care of an employer towards an employee will not go unrewarded. This type of treatment of others, especially those culturally expectant of a boss who couldn’t care less is likely to increase loyalty, productivity, and ultimately improve the bottom line.
For most employers and supervisors, a large percentage of our world is very much found within the confines of our businesses. Christ called us as followers to a mission of sharing the Gospel to all the World. That World does not stop at the double doors of the office. If we take His value system with us into the work place and use it as a tool to help others we will be better suited to grow our businesses, improve the people we work with, and glorify God in advancing the cause of Heaven.