Do you involve your team in solving difficult problems? (193-5)

Wise leaders involve their team in solving difficult problems. Read Matthew 15:29-39.

As the crowds following Jesus grew He moved further into the remote regions of Judea using the open area to accommodate His ever expanding audience. At one point large crowds had been following Jesus for three days and were totally out of food. Jesus disciples urged Jesus to send the people away to purchase food but Jesus, afraid some may actually faint on their way to find food, told His disciples to feed them before they left. This presented a major problem because the crowd numbered 4,000 not including the women and children and the lack of food was the problem.

Instead of simply calling bread down from heaven, Jesus involved His disciples in solving the problem. He had the disciples determine the available resources, and then asked the disciples to become the primary means of distribution of those resources; He asked them to be stewards of whatever may be leftover. Jesus did the miracle of expanding the resources but He gave the disciples confidence by giving them a role in the process.

John Maxwell discusses the fastest way to gain leadership credibility in his notes in the Maxwell Leadership Bible:

1. Jesus deepened His credibility by solving the problem of a hungry crowd:
2. He identified the problem and informed His team (v. 32).
3. He instructed them to brainstorm the solution (vv. 33, 34).
4. He invited them into the problem-solving process (vv. 35, 36).
5. He included them in the solution (vv. 34-37).

Even though leaders won’t be able to supply the miracle Jesus supplied in solving this problem, the wise leader can learn from the team involvement processes Jesus used.

Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”