I just finished Leading With a Limp by Dan Allender. Overall I liked it. It has more depth at points than a lot of Christian or Ministry leadership books, but it also isn’t the clearest presentation of servant leadership out there in my opinion. However, I wanted to share some of the basic thoughts of the book and my reaction to it.
Allender structures the book around 5 leadership challenges. He labels them Crisis, Complexity, Betrayal, Loneliness, and Weariness. I think these are some of the great leadership challenges, but the titles alone don’t really communicate their full meaning in all cases. Before a couple thoughts on these 5 challenges of leadership, I will say the introduction is a very good chapter that lays out the essence of servant or “limping” leadership.
Crisis brings the temptation of control to leadership, which runs counter to servant leadership. I liked the quote, “A controlling leader always gets what he deserves – the bare minimum and conformity without creativity.” (pg. 68) Allender draws attention to what true courage looks like for the leader in facing challenge with humility and confidence in the Lord as opposed to functioning out of fear and insecurity. It’s a good treatment on how fear breeds control in leadership.
One of the chapters I liked the most was the chapter on complexity. Leadership involves extreme complexity and one’s ability to navigate differences and see other points of view is vital to leadership and community vitality. This chapter warns the leader against dogmatism, theological rigidity, and overall black and white mentalities. In Campus Crusade and Bethel Seminary, this issue is called “intellectual flexibility.” Sometimes people in the ministry interpret this capacity as being an equivalent to being able to do hard puzzles or come up with great ideas; however, this is all about how to lead in a reality in which there are a multitude of experiences and perspectives. Allender indicts leaders who try to “simplify” everything so that they can control and manage things. The limping leader is comfortable with the complexity that comes with large numbers of relationships.
My favorite chapter title was “No More Jackasses” which is the title of the chapter dealing with the challenge of betrayal. I think betrayal is a bit strong for what he truly addresses in the chapter, but it does capture the more extreme situations. This is the issue of the feedback, rejection, and disagreements that leaders must face and deal with consistently in leadership. Betrayal has malicious connotations and I don’t think Allender means to address only those situations where toxic people are causing damage. The motto of this chapter is “Deal with your wounds.” I think this isn’t the clearest of chapters, but the solution offered is helpful and that involves attention and healing in those areas that have been wounded in relationships that will come back to roost in our leadership as we move forward. Healing is important to guard against growing narcissism (pg. 101). Overall, there is a good treatment of narcissism in this chapter.
The chapter on loneliness really is about isolation. He writes, “All leaders are lonely, but few are lonely for good reasons. The phrase “It is lonely at the top” is true, but it doesn’t distinguish legitimate loneliness from self-inflicted isolation.” (pg. 111) I liked that Allender doesn’t just offer clichés about how leaders are lonely because of the weight of leadership and responsibility. I agree that a lot of leaders whine about loneliness when they’ve pretty much done it to themselves. Allender more or less writes that necessary loneliness in leadership comes when one must be a solitary voice in defense of the true kingdom of God in the face of those who are functioning out of a false kingdom mentality.
The chapter on weariness deals with burnout in leadership. I liked his thoughts on the epidemic of “business.” It’s a convicting chapter on how business can be “moral laziness” (pg. 129) when it is outside of courage and intentionality. Going just to go or to prove one’s worth is as of much value as the sloth on the couch. It’s a great point to consider how we must lead with courage and intentionality so that the energy we are investing into activity is stewarded energy instead of wasted energy. He believes the leader must reach a point of “disillusionment” so that we break free from the mirage offered by “business” and live fully committed to live with and for Jesus as a leader.
Those are the 5 challenges of leadership and how leaders can struggle in the face of them. Chapter 11 is about how the purpose of spiritual leadership is forming character and not running an organization. There are some awesome thoughts here and some of the greatest are related to organizational “spin.” Those few pages are pretty good in my mind and very true.
Limping leadership emphasizes maturity – the maturity of oneself as well as investing into the maturity of the saints. Leadership that is leading towards efficiency and productivity as the highest ends is spiritually bankrupt and in the end won’t be extremely effective either in the ministry. Only leaders who are servants, meaning those who are comfortable serving from a place of low status, weakness, and even humiliation are qualified as the servant leaders spiritual communities need. The more leaders try to cover up their “limp” the more damage they do to the community. The more they let their limp draw them towards Jesus and to others, the more they will resemble true servant leaders.
Comments on this entry are closed.