What drives successful leaders to put their team’s needs before their own? Why do some managers create more stress for their employees while others lift burdens from their shoulders?
In The Way of the Shepherd, Kevin Leman and William Pentak reveal that true leadership requires more than just management techniques—it demands a lifestyle of sacrifice and genuine care for others. They show how sacrifice in leadership shapes not only professional success but also personal character.
Keep reading to discover how embracing the shepherd’s mindset can transform your leadership journey.
Sacrifice in Leadership
Leman and Pentak argue that becoming a great leader involves more than learning specific methods—being a leader is a way of life, much like being a shepherd. They state that true leadership stems from your character, values, and daily habits. Effective leaders embody their principles consistently, both in professional settings and in their personal lives. This holistic approach to leadership suggests that it’s not about mastering specific strategies but about cultivating a mindset and lifestyle that naturally inspires and guides others.
Leman and Pentak assert that great leadership inherently involves sacrifice. Sacrifice in leadership could take the form of time, energy, or even personal comfort or gain. Each of the strategies and techniques in their book will significantly demand your energy and time. However, if you don’t bear these burdens, your workers will end up burdened by all the problems that neglectful leadership can create.
(Shortform note: Research supports Leman and Pentak’s assertion that poor management imposes a burden on workers, lowering the overall effectiveness of the team. In one study, 35% of professionals reported their bosses to be their greatest source of stress at work. Stress then causes employees to “conserve their psychological resources” by withdrawing from the environment and not engaging fully with their work.)
Why do great leaders voluntarily take on these burdens instead of allowing their workers to pay the price? Leman and Pentak argue that true leaders make sacrifices because they genuinely care about their workers, just like a shepherd cares about their sheep. These leaders view the personal costs of leadership not as deterrents but as necessary investments in the well-being and success of their team. In contrast, leaders who primarily focus on personal gain may consider the cost of true leadership too high and begin neglecting their workers, leading to a less motivated, engaged, and coordinated team.
(Shortform note: While caring for one’s workers may be the strongest motivation for making sacrifices, it may not be the only reason. Lab experiments in psychology have also shown that self-sacrificing leaders get more productivity out of their workers and are seen as more charismatic by their teams. Thus, caring about outcomes could be another reason to adopt a self-sacrificing approach.)
Exercise: Reflect on Leman and Pentak’s Principles of Leadership
Leman and Pentak emphasize that leadership requires self-sacrifice and care for one’s workers. They also focus on the importance of building trust and getting to know your workers individually. In this exercise, you’ll reflect on these principles and practice applying them to your own leadership.
- Reflect on a leader you’ve known in your career or personal life who you deeply trusted. Why did you find this leader so trustworthy?
- Now reflect on a leader you’ve known in your career or personal life who you didn’t fully trust. What could they have done differently as a leader to earn your trust?
- Imagine that you have an employee who normally performs well, but lately seems undermotivated and disengaged. How would you approach a conversation with them while demonstrating that you care about their well-being?
- Reflect on your current leadership style. Are you embodying the principles of sacrifice and care for your team as suggested by Leman and Pentak? Write down one or two areas of potential improvement.
