PDF Summary:The Way of the Shepherd, by Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak

How do business leaders create engaged, motivated, and coordinated teams? In The Way of the Shepherd, Kevin Leman and William Pentak use a fictional story to show how, by adopting a shepherd’s mindset, managers can foster loyalty, trust, and high performance among their "flock" of employees.

Leman is a psychologist, educator, and radio and television personality. Pentak is a business consultant, columnist, former pastor, and speaker. These authors use a narrative format to make leadership concepts accessible and memorable for readers seeking to improve their management skills in various organizational settings. In this guide, readers will discover how to build trust, organize teams effectively, and lead with purpose, all while learning to embody the compassionate yet firm nature of a shepherd-leader. Through our commentary, we'll explore some of the research behind Leman and Pentak's strategies, while comparing their advice to other business leaders' ideas.

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Stand Up for Your Workers

Leman and Pentak argue that great leaders create safety by actively standing up for their workers, just like a shepherd protects their flock. Employees are more likely to trust you if they feel they can count on you for protection and help in times of crisis. For example, a department manager might defend her team's innovative but unconventional approach to a project when faced with criticism from upper management. She might do so by explaining the rationale behind the team's decisions and highlighting the potential benefits. By advocating for her team in this way, the manager not only shields them from undue criticism but also reinforces their trust in her leadership, knowing she’ll support their efforts even in challenging situations.

(Shortform note: In prioritizing the safety and protection of your workers, it's important not to over-stretch yourself. Business experts caution that managers are especially prone to burnout, a state of chronic exhaustion, under-motivation, and cynicism. Overall, burnout seems to result from a mismatch between job demands and the resources available to meet those demands—there’s too much to be done and not enough time, energy, and tools with which to do it, and this “over-taxing” adds up over time.)

Address Conflicts and Problems as They Arise

Leman and Pentak explain that creating a sense of safety also requires addressing conflicts and problems as they arise instead of allowing them to escalate unchecked. Even small problems can escalate over time, creating friction and stress for the entire team. By addressing these before they get out of control, you’ll maintain a safe and trusting environment on your team. For example, say a team leader notices growing tension between two team members due to a disagreement over project responsibilities. Instead of hoping the issue will resolve itself, the leader could promptly schedule a meeting with both individuals to clarify roles and resolve the tension, preventing the conflict from escalating.

(Shortform note: Resolving conflict between your employees may place you in the role of a mediator—a neutral third party who tries to settle disputes between others. Business experts recommend that mediators adopt the following approach: First, both parties should meet with you so you can outline the process, rules, and goals. Then each person involved in the conflict briefly presents their view without interruption, after which you gather information and identify common ground. Participants then suggest specific actions they'd like to see from others. The session concludes with all parties agreeing on and committing to changes that will resolve the conflict.)

Part 3: Organize Your Team

Leman and Pentak argue that in addition to building trust and relationships with their employees, every effective leader puts in the necessary time and effort to organize their team for efficient coordination and productivity. Here we'll discuss their strategies for clarifying roles, infusing them with importance, and matching the right worker to their role.

Clarify the Boundaries of Each Role

Leman and Pentak advise you to create clear boundaries for each role. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, employees have a precise understanding of their duties and how they fit into the larger organizational structure.

However, the authors also stress the importance of granting team members autonomy within their roles. Granting autonomy within these defined boundaries empowers employees to make decisions and take initiative in their areas of responsibility. Striking a balance between these goals is part of your task as a leader. For example, you might delineate responsibilities so that there's no overlap between roles, but then give workers freedom in how they carry out those responsibilities. This is analogous to how a shepherd keeps their flock within a strong fence but gives each sheep freedom to roam around within it.

(Shortform note: Clarifying roles and granting autonomy both play a role in decreasing employee stress. Role ambiguity—the perception that workers don't know where their responsibilities begin and end—has been linked to increased levels of stress, burnout, and even depression. Similarly, micromanagement—which deprives workers of their autonomy, has also been linked to higher levels of perceived stress and demoralization among employees.)

Clarify the Value of Each Role

Leman and Pentak assert that effective leaders organize their teams by taking the time to clarify how each role contributes to the company mission. By explicitly connecting individual roles to the broader organizational goals, you ensure that every employee understands their unique contribution to the company's success. This fosters a deeper connection to the organization while providing employees with motivation and commitment. This also creates a sense of importance for each role, which prevents friction that might arise from jealousy between employees who feel slighted if they perceive their role as unimportant.

(Shortform note: In Bullshit Jobs, David Graeber elaborates on how workers will disengage if they perceive their work as unimportant. He explains that deep down, most people want to make a meaningful contribution to society. If they perceive their role as falling short in this regard, people feel a loss of agency and dignity. They lose a sense of agency because they believe they aren't making anything happen, and they experience this as an indignity because they feel devalued and degraded by not being allowed to contribute. Therefore, you can have a much more engaged workforce if everyone understands the purpose and importance of their role.)

Place Your Workers in the Right Roles for Them

Leman and Pentak assert that once you establish the purpose, boundaries, and importance of each role, you must put in the time and effort to carefully match employees to their proper roles. They argue that effective leaders should strive to understand their team members' unique abilities, passions, and personalities to ensure optimal job placement. (Recall that under Leman and Pentak’s model, leaders get to know their workers one-on-one, and therefore should have access to this knowledge.)

(Shortform note: Data analytics and artificial intelligence may be changing the way employees are matched to their roles. The emerging HR practice of “hyper-personalization” tracks data on employee performance, preferences, and feedback to curate tailored career development paths, learning opportunities, and even wellness initiatives based on insights into each employee's unique profile.)

To identify the role that best suits each employee, Leman and Pentak propose evaluating them across four key qualities: mindset, abilities, passions, and disposition.

Quality 1) Mindset

Mindset refers to the set of attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions that shape how an individual thinks about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them. Leman and Pentak argue that mindset is the most important attribute to make or break a candidate when hiring, and they encourage leaders to look for workers with a positive outlook, an ability to get along with the team, and the ability to grow and learn from their mistakes.

Quality 2) Abilities

This quality focuses on an employee's skills and talents. Teams function best when each employee can apply their individual capacities to their role. For example, a team member with strong analytical abilities might excel in a data-driven role, while someone with excellent interpersonal skills could thrive in a customer-facing position.

Quality 3) Passions

Passions are what motivate and excite an employee. Workers will achieve the most when they’re passionate and excited about their work. A passionate writer, for example, might be best suited for content creation roles, while someone passionate about problem-solving could excel in project management.

Quality 4) Disposition

Disposition encompasses an employee’s natural traits and preferences. These could include things like a preference for working alone or with others, for high-pressure or low-pressure projects, or for customer-facing or back-end roles. You’ll get the best work out of your employees if they’re satisfied in their position and consider it a good fit for their preferences. For example, an extrovert might flourish in a sales role, while a detail-oriented introvert could be more effective in a research or quality assurance position.

How Each of These Four Qualities Relate to “Flow States”

By matching employees with the right role based on these four characteristics, you may be able to help employees achieve a state of flow in their work. In this commentary, we'll define what "flow" is, explain how it contributes to work performance, and discuss the role of each of these four qualities in achieving a flow state.

In Flow, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains that flow states are peak experiences where someone becomes utterly immersed in a task. Time slows down, self-conscious anxiety drifts away, and the work feels almost effortless. This is what high-performing artists or athletes may refer to as "being in the zone." Studies have shown a clear link between flow states and high performance. Thus, you can get better performance from your workers by setting them up to achieve a state of flow in their work. Finding the best fit for your workers along all four qualities improves their chance of achieving higher flow.

1) Mindset: An employee's mindset plays an important role in achieving flow—especially their level of confidence. One study assessed athletes' levels of confidence before a match and found it to be a significant predictor of flow states. Thus, connecting workers to roles where they’ll be confident in their tasks can improve their performance.

2) Abilities: In Hyperfocus, Chris Bailey explains that to maintain a state of flow, your skills need to be appropriately matched to the task. Too easy a task will result in boredom, while too difficult a task will result in frustration. By finding this Goldilocks zone for each of your employees, you can help them reach optimal levels of flow.

3) Passions: Flow states are intrinsically rewarding. That is, the process of doing the activity provides the emotional reward, more so than anything gained through the activity, like money or prestige. By understanding your employees' passions and motivations, you’ll be better able to connect them to roles that they find intrinsically rewarding.

4) Disposition: According to Csikszentmihalyi, people are better equipped to enter a flow state when they feel a sense of control over their experience. That is, when they understand the risks involved and trust their ability to manage those risks. If someone is a bad personality fit for their role—an introvert forced to do customer service, for example—they may lose the feeling of control required for flow.

Part 4: Direct Your Team

Finally, Leman and Pentak argue that just like a shepherd keeps their flock moving together, great leaders must invest their time and energy into directing their teams to get the most out of their workers. Here we’ll discuss several facets of the authors’ approach, including the importance of leading by example, communicating regularly with your team, and how to keep your workers on track without losing their trust.

Lead by Example

Recall that Leman and Pentak advised leaders to set an example when it comes to demonstrating company values. Leading by example also applies to all other areas of management. For instance, you might demonstrate the correct methods of performing tasks to workers who are learning them for the first time, or you might be the first to adopt new standards and protocols. Leman and Pentak stress the importance of leading employees rather than merely giving orders, just like a shepherd who walks out in front of their flock.

(Shortform note: In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C. Maxwell highlights that your workers will naturally copy your behaviors—good or bad. According to this perspective, you don’t get to choose between leading by example and leading by some other method; you only get to choose what kind of example you set. So your bad habits could become your employees' bad habits unless you adjust your behavior.)

Communicate Regularly With Your Team

Leman and Pentak argue that great leaders direct their employees through regular communication. They highlight two important kinds of messages that effective leaders must regularly convey.

Reinforce Your Team’s Values and Goals

Leman and Pentak emphasize that great leaders consistently and clearly articulate their team's values and goals. Effective leadership involves more than just setting objectives; it requires the constant reinforcement and communication of the core principles and aspirations that guide the team. This not only keeps the team aligned and focused but also helps create a shared sense of purpose and a more cohesive team.

(Shortform note: Business experts offer some suggestions for effectively communicating your company's values. First, use your values as a decision-making framework. When employees see the values in action, this emphasizes their importance. Second, frame major announcements about policy and goals in terms of these values, to help employees see the connection. Finally, reward employees who embody your company's values. This not only reinforces their behavior, but holds them up as role models for the rest of the company.)

Keep Your Team Up to Date

Leman and Pentak stress the value of keeping team members well-informed. Great leaders prioritize transparency and make a concerted effort to share relevant information such as changes in policy or decisions that may impact employees’ work. This helps team members respond more effectively to change and builds a stronger connection with the organization.

(Shortform note: According to Paul L. Marciano in Carrots and Sticks Don't Work, the information your employees communicate with you may be just as important, if not more so, than the information you communicate with them. By understanding their perspective, you can understand how to lead them more effectively. In particular, he recommends regularly asking employees how you can help them be more successful or what they need in terms of resources, training, and information.)

Redirect Your Workers When Needed

Leman and Pentak explain that directing your workers also requires getting them back on track when they wander astray of tasks and expectations—just like a shepherd redirects their flock by gently guiding them back on track with their staff. They offer two key approaches for redirecting employees.

Approach 1) Convince Your Employees Instead of Forcing Them

Leman and Pentak emphasize the importance of convincing employees instead of forcing them when they’ve taken the wrong path. By convincing employees through explanation and evidence, your employees will buy into your expectations willingly. This method not only improves morale but also tends to result in better outcomes, as employees who understand and agree with the reasoning behind their tasks are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work.

(Shortform note: Business experts offer several tips for convincing others of your perspective. First, consider your goal ahead of time. How would you like your employee's perspective to change? Then, develop some points you might explain. Consider the reasons why you hold this view and why others should too. Also consider points of resistance: Why might someone disagree with you? Finally, choose an ideal time and place to talk. Give yourself plenty of time for the conversation, and try to approach your employee when they're in a good mood.)

Approach 2) Treat Correction as a Chance for Instruction

Finally, Leman and Pentak advocate for a constructive approach to correction. They suggest that leaders view moments of correction as opportunities for instruction rather than punishment. This perspective shifts the focus from blame and negative consequences to growth and improvement. By framing corrections as learning experiences, leaders can help employees develop new skills, gain insights, and enhance their performance without feeling demoralized.

(Shortform note: Research supports Leman and Pentak's call to avoid a hostile or punitive approach to discipline. While some studies have found a positive correlation between punishment and worker discipline, other studies find that aggressive punishment can lower employees' feelings of inclusion in a company. This, in turn, decreases motivation to go the extra mile, and it increases the likelihood that the employee will quit.)