Last Sunday, we sang a song at church called Reckless Love. One of the lines says, “Leave the Ninety-Nine”. I wondered what was the meaning behind that verse and it comes from Luke 15:4. The passage goes like this; “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
It got me thinking about how this applies to leadership.
If you had one lost employee, what would you do to save that person?
Do you not worry about them because in fact you have a 99% success rate, or do you try and help this person succeed? Does this person deserve your attention even though they are the only one out of a hundred that needs your help? Or do we let them figure it out themselves. Are you willing to leave the ninety-nine good employees to help that one get better?
I believe everyone needs a chance to succeed and it is the responsibility of us as leaders to be their champions towards success. Rarely do we have only 1 out of a hundred that needs our help. It’s generally the other way around. As the leader, we need to make sure everyone we lead has that opportunity to succeed. Put them into positions and situations that will help them succeed and give them the tools and mentorship to allow them to grow. Allow them to find their place on the team. You must be willing to leave the ninety-nine behind and help those that are still lost and need to find their way on the team.
By leaving the ninety-nine behind, you are also enabling the ninety-nine to further succeed and develop their leadership skills. Like the Shepard, you have tended to the ninety-nine such that you can leave them on their own, while you devote your attention to the ones that still need your help. You do not abandon the ninety-nine, you just can give them more space to graze. Your primary job should be to help those that need your help. Help the lost ones find their way.
Whenever I have had a boss who is my champion, I tend to do much more than for someone who does not take interest in my well-being.
I feel as if they will do whatever it takes to help me succeed. That goes a long way in my book. You’ll climb that hill much faster and much harder if you are following someone who truly cares about you. You seem to give that extra bit because you feel you are an important part of the team.
Most people do not leave their jobs because of pay or working conditions. They leave because they do not feel a part of the team or they do not have a manager who cares about them. If you manage people like you are their champion, you will likely have more dedicated employees than if you were not.
It also feels nice to be there for someone who needs our help. To be the one to help them as they are outside their comfort zone. To help them find their way. To watch them grow and succeed.
It’s like family. You may not always get along, but you have each other’s back. Helping them along the way.
So, if you are willing to leave the ninety-nine behind to help those that need your help, you may be onto something here.
Allyn Vaughn
Photo by Martin Bisof on Unsplash