領導力被過度強調了嗎？── IS LEADERSHIP SOMEWHAT OVERRATED?
如果你在職場工作過一段時間（幾個月也算），你應該曾被鼓勵甚至被要求過參加某種形式的領導力培訓。也許是一個小時的會議、工作坊、研討會或是大會。無論如何，培訓的目的都是希望你能成為更有效的領導者。
但是，你是否想過也許「領導力」被過度強調了？我這麼問的原因是，與領導力相比，你上次參加「跟隨力」的培訓是什麼時候？
美國商業顧問布萊恩．凱特（Brian Kight）最近在社群媒體上指出：「你不必領導。不是每個人都需要當領袖。不是領袖不代表你就無法對團隊有所貢獻。團隊需要不同的角色。領袖只是其中一種。要熱愛自己所扮演的角色。」
凱特的話聽起來很奇怪，但這是事實。團隊中不可能每個人都是領袖。你能想像一支全都是將軍，卻沒有士兵的軍隊要如何打仗嗎？
幾年前，我在一個機構工作，很享受當作家和編輯的工作。我的頭銜是「出版總監」。但由於同工非常少，所以實際上很多日常工作都落在了我的肩膀上。不過我甘之如飴。
有一天，機構的一位高管叫我進他的辦公室，問我說：「你覺得自己的職涯未來會如何？五年後你會在做甚麼?」我的回答很簡單：我看到自己做了很多跟過去一樣的事情，我非常享受自己的工作，覺得自己正在做的事情很令人滿意。許多人稱讚我的工作，而我認為不需要做出任何改變。
我並非沒有實現新目標的野心或抱負，只是覺得不必非要領導別人不可。與其把工作委託給別人，我更喜歡捲起袖子，自己直接參與出版作業。
正如凱特所說，不是每個人要當領袖。很多人對各司其職很滿意，也了解他們正在為更大的目標做出貢獻。在聖經中，我們看到耶穌基督是一個完美的榜樣。祂毫無疑問是名領袖，祂呼召忠心、良善的跟隨者 (門徒)。以下是聖經中關於「跟隨力」的一些例子：
讓領袖決定步調。耶穌在建立團隊時，祂找的是有共同異象也願意跟隨的人。「耶穌對他們說：『來跟從我，我要叫你們得人如得魚一樣。』」（馬太福音4章19節）
跟隨需要付出代價。跟隨一個強大的領導者不總是那麼容易。有時候，這意味著犧牲，願意為更高的目標放棄自己的抱負。「耶穌又對眾人說：『若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，天天背起他的十字架來跟從我。」』（路加福音9章23節）
最好的領導者也是好的跟隨者。使徒保羅是早期教會最重要的領袖之一。他的影響力很大，但即使如此，保羅也從來沒有忘記自己所追隨、成就一切的耶穌。 「你們該效法我，像我效法基督一樣。」（哥林多前書11章1節）
© 2020. Robert J. Tamasy 是企業巔峰: 給今日職場從箴言而來永恆的智慧 一書的作者。也與導師之心的作者David A. Stoddard 合著Tufting Legacies。編輯多本著作包括Mike Landry. Bob的書: 透過苦難成長。Mike Landry. Bob的網站為www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com,
備註：如果你手上有聖經，想要閱讀更多，請參考以下內容：(因經文較長，考慮到篇幅和新舊約經文，您可以自行參閱未列出的經文:約翰福音10:1-18)
箴言25章6-7節
25:6 不要在王面前妄自尊大；不要在大人的位上站立。
25:7 寧可有人說：請你上來，強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。
箴言29章23節
29:23 人的高傲必使他卑下；心裏謙遜的，必得尊榮。
馬太福音4章18-22節
4:18 耶穌在加利利海邊行走，看見弟兄二人，就是那稱呼彼得的西門和他兄弟安得烈，在海裏撒網；他們本是打魚的。
4:19 耶穌對他們說：「來跟從我，我要叫你們得人如得魚一樣。」
4:20 他們就立刻捨了網，跟從了他。
4:21 從那裏往前走，又看見弟兄二人，西庇太的兒子雅各和他兄弟約翰，同他們的父親西庇太在船上補網，耶穌就招呼他們，
4:22 他們立刻捨了船，別了父親，跟從了耶穌。
馬太福音8章18-22節
8:18 耶穌見許多人圍著他，就吩咐渡到那邊去。
8:19 有一個文士來，對他說：「夫子，你無論往哪裏去，我要跟從你。」
8:20 耶穌說：「狐狸有洞，天空的飛鳥有窩，人子卻沒有枕頭的地方。」
8:21 又有一個門徒對耶穌說：「主啊，容我先回去埋葬我的父親。」
8:22 耶穌說：「任憑死人埋葬他們的死人；你跟從我吧！」
馬太福音16章21-26節
16:21 從此，耶穌才指示門徒，他必須上耶路撒冷去，受長老、祭司長、文士許多的苦，並且被殺，第三日復活。
16:22 彼得就拉著他，勸他說：「主啊，萬不可如此！這事必不臨到你身上。」
16:23 耶穌轉過來，對彼得說：「撒但，退我後邊去吧！你是絆我腳的；因為你不體貼 神的意思，只體貼人的意思。」
16:24 於是耶穌對門徒說：「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。
16:25 因為，凡要救自己生命（生命：或譯靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必得著生命。
16:26 人若賺得全世界，賠上自己的生命，有甚麼益處呢？人還能拿甚麼換生命呢？
彼得前書2章18-21節
2:18 你們作僕人的，凡事要存敬畏的心順服主人；不但順服那善良溫和的，就是那乖僻的也要順服。
2:19 倘若人為叫良心對得住 神，就忍受冤屈的苦楚，這是可喜愛的。
2:20 你們若因犯罪受責打，能忍耐，有甚麼可誇的呢？但你們若因行善受苦，能忍耐，這在 神看是可喜愛的。
2:21 你們蒙召原是為此；因基督也為你們受過苦，給你們留下榜樣，叫你們跟隨他的腳蹤行。
反省與問題討論
- 你參加過哪些領導力訓練？在這些領導力研習班、研討會、或是會議上你學到了什麼？
- 你參加過「跟隨力」的課程嗎？為什麼職場上大部分的研習都是在教導如何領導，而沒有教導如何跟隨？
- 如果你擔任正式的領導職務，你是否不止讚賞過跟隨者所做的事，同時也稱讚他們願意遵循你的指示？如果沒有，未來你會如何做？
- 如果沒有正式被賦予領導的職責，一個人（也許包括你自己）對實現團隊的整體成就的重要性是否較低？即便身為領袖，你能如何學習成為更好的跟隨者？
IS LEADERSHIP SOMEWHAT OVERRATED?
By Robert J. Tamasy
If you have been in the business and professional world for any length of time – even for just a few months – chances are you have asked, encouraged or even ordered to attend some form of leadership training. It might have been an hour-long meeting, a workshop, a seminar or even a conference. In any case, the intention was to prepare you for becoming a more effective leader.
But does it ever occur to you that leadership – leading – is a big overrated? The reason I ask is because, unlike leadership, when was the last time you participated in training on how to follow?
American business consultant Brian Kight pointed this out recently when he stated on social media, “You do not have to lead. It is not for everyone. That does not mean you cannot be an amazing contributor. Teams need every role. Leadership is just one. Fall in love with the role you have.”
What Kight said might sound strange, but it is true. We cannot all be leaders. What would you think of an army in which everyone was a general, but no one was a soldier engaged in actual battle?
Years ago I was with an organization and enjoying tremendously my job as writer and editor. My title was “director of publications,” but since I had a very small staff, much of the actual day-to-day work fell on my shoulders. And I had no problem with that.
One day a top executive with the organization called me into his office and asked me, “Where do you see yourself in the future – maybe five years from now?” My answer was simple: I saw myself doing much of what I had been doing, since I was greatly enjoying my work, felt I was doing it was and found it very fulfilling. Many people had complimented my work, and I saw no need for making any changes.
It was not that I lacked ambition or aspirations for achieving new goals. It was simply that I felt no need to be directing others. Rather than delegating work to others, I much preferred rolling up my sleeves and being directly involved myself in whatever publications we had to produce at the time.
As Kight said, the responsibility to lead “is not for everyone.” Many people are well-content with carrying out their respective tasks, understanding they are contributing to a greater goal. In the Scriptures, we see this modeled perfectly by Jesus Christ. He was the unquestioned leader; what He wanted was faithful, devoted followers. Here are some examples of what the Bible says about “followship”:
Let the leader set the pace. In assembling His team, Jesus sought people with vision – but also the willingness to follow. “”’Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men’” (Matthew 4:19).
There is a cost to following. Following even a powerful leader is not always easy. It sometimes means sacrifice, being willing to set aside one’s own ambitions for a higher goal. “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” Luke 9:23).
The best leaders are also good followers. One of the foremost leaders of the early Church was the apostle Paul. He wielded much influence, but even at that, Paul never forgot whom he was following, who was determining the course. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” 1 Corinthians 11:1).
© 2020. Robert J. Tamasy has written numerous books, including Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Tufting Legacies; The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard; and has edited other books. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- What types of leadership training have you participated in? What were some of the things you learned through this training, whether it took place at workshops, seminars or conferences?
- When – if ever – have you attended a training session about effective following? Why do you think so much effort is invested in teaching people to lead, but not in instructing how they should follow?
- If you are a leader in some official capacity, have you ever tried to communicate your appreciation not only for what people do but also for how they follow your direction? If not, how might you go about doing this?
- What about people – perhaps including yourself – who have not been given formal leadership responsibilities: Do you think this makes their – or your – role any less important to what the team is striving to accomplish overall? How could you, even as a leader, learn how to become a better follower?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more consider the following passages:
Proverbs 25:6-7, 29:23; Matthew 4:18:22, 8:18-22, 16:21-26; John 10:1-18; 1 Peter 2:18-21
