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The Leadership Style of Jesus: How to Make a Lasting Impact
No matter what leadership arena a person serves in--whether leading a family, a church, a civic organization, a company--adopting the leadership example of Jesus will make that person more effective and productive. Leadership is influence, and no leader has had greater influence on the world than Jesus Christ. The lessons of His leadership style are practical, learnable skills that anyone can apply today.
Michael Youssef, who has executive experience in worldwide ministries, has examined the leadership Jesus modeled and suggests Christlike qualities every leader needs. But he doesn't stop there. With Jesus as the standard, Dr. Youssef considers how to deal with the temptations and pressures leaders face, including ego, anger, loneliness, criticism, the use of power, and passing the torch to others.
Men and women in search of excellence in developing their leadership abilities will find much to aid their quest in this close-up look at Jesus--the greatest leader who ever lived.
Michael Youssef, who has executive experience in worldwide ministries, has examined the leadership Jesus modeled and suggests Christlike qualities every leader needs. But he doesn't stop there. With Jesus as the standard, Dr. Youssef considers how to deal with the temptations and pressures leaders face, including ego, anger, loneliness, criticism, the use of power, and passing the torch to others.
Men and women in search of excellence in developing their leadership abilities will find much to aid their quest in this close-up look at Jesus--the greatest leader who ever lived.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1986
51 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Michael Youssef
108 books74 followersMichael Youssef is the founder and president of Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, a worldwide ministry that leads the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ through the creative use of media and on-the-ground ministry teams (www.LTW.org). His weekly television programs and daily radio programs are broadcast in 25 languages and seen worldwide, airing more than 13,000 times per week. He is also the founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Youssef was born in Egypt, but in 1984, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. He holds numerous degrees, including a PhD in social anthropology from Emory University. He has authored more than 35 books, including recent popular titles The Barbarians Are Here and Jesus, Jihad and Peace. He and his wife have four grown children and eight grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 21, 2019
This helpful book about the leadership style of Jesus is divided into 5 main parts and 18 principles. The five parts are:
Part 1: The Beginnings of Leadership
Part 2: The Qualities of Leadership
Part 3: The Temptations of Leadership
Part 4: The Problems of Leadership
Part 4: The Future of Leadership.
The author tells us that the ultimate role model of effective leadership is Jesus. Jesus was one man, but he multiplied himself through the lives of his followers. And they in turn multiplied themselves. And their followers multiplied themselves. He tells us that is the leadership style of Jesus.
Among the principles covered in the book are the leader as shepherd, courage, generosity, power, anger, criticism, and developing leaders. Much like a John Maxwell book, the book is well written, easy to read, includes many illustrations to bring to life his principles, and features practical action steps for the reader to apply the principles as authentic leaders. This would be a good book to read and discuss with other leaders and potential leaders, in whatever situation you find yourself in - business, church, non-profit, government, education, sports, military, the home, etc.
I highlighted a number of passages as I read the book. Below are 20 of my favorite quotes:
1. If you don’t have followers, you are not a leader.
2. All authentic leaders must be confirmed in order to lead.
3. Every great leader is a product of his or her teachers, mentors, and other influences.
4. The leader who practices shepherd-leadership knows his sheep personally and cares about them individually.
5. A leader sees a future no one else can see, and then takes his followers there.
6. As leaders, we can’t be everyone’s best friend, but we can be available to our people. The people in your organization want to know if they can come to you with problems and questions.
7. If you lack the courage and boldness to stand for your principles, then you shouldn’t be in leadership.
8. An authentic leader is willing to pay the price to maintain his integrity.
9. Great leaders who follow the leadership style of Jesus are generous with their resources, their time, their wisdom, and their insight. They give as Jesus gave, expecting nothing in return.
10. The leadership style of Jesus reminds us that authentic leaders must always speak the truth, always live the truth, and always handle the truth with love.
11. Effective leaders are forgiving leaders. We cannot work with people by holding grudges against them.
12. In the kingdom of Jesus, the leader is the one who serves, and the servant is the one who leads. Jesus came to stand position power on its head.
13. The person who cannot control his or her temper cannot lead like Jesus.
14. Leadership is a lonely calling, and we as leaders are often required to make hard decisions in which the blame or fault is ours alone.
15. To be a leader is to be a target for criticism. Learning how to deal with unjust criticism is one of the most important lessons a leader must learn.
16. You may think it’s hard to recruit people with good skills. But I guarantee it is even harder to recruit people with good character. It’s even harder to recruit people who will work faithfully behind the scenes, doing all the little thankless tasks that need to be done, people with the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader.
17. As you mentor and train leaders, be sure to affirm them.
18. One of the key lessons we learn from the leadership life of Jesus is that the purpose of leadership is not to produce followers, but to produce more leaders.
19. One of your most important goals as a leader should be to prepare your followers to outdo you.
20. Identify leaders early, train them well, and give them responsibility before they think they’re ready.
Part 1: The Beginnings of Leadership
Part 2: The Qualities of Leadership
Part 3: The Temptations of Leadership
Part 4: The Problems of Leadership
Part 4: The Future of Leadership.
The author tells us that the ultimate role model of effective leadership is Jesus. Jesus was one man, but he multiplied himself through the lives of his followers. And they in turn multiplied themselves. And their followers multiplied themselves. He tells us that is the leadership style of Jesus.
Among the principles covered in the book are the leader as shepherd, courage, generosity, power, anger, criticism, and developing leaders. Much like a John Maxwell book, the book is well written, easy to read, includes many illustrations to bring to life his principles, and features practical action steps for the reader to apply the principles as authentic leaders. This would be a good book to read and discuss with other leaders and potential leaders, in whatever situation you find yourself in - business, church, non-profit, government, education, sports, military, the home, etc.
I highlighted a number of passages as I read the book. Below are 20 of my favorite quotes:
1. If you don’t have followers, you are not a leader.
2. All authentic leaders must be confirmed in order to lead.
3. Every great leader is a product of his or her teachers, mentors, and other influences.
4. The leader who practices shepherd-leadership knows his sheep personally and cares about them individually.
5. A leader sees a future no one else can see, and then takes his followers there.
6. As leaders, we can’t be everyone’s best friend, but we can be available to our people. The people in your organization want to know if they can come to you with problems and questions.
7. If you lack the courage and boldness to stand for your principles, then you shouldn’t be in leadership.
8. An authentic leader is willing to pay the price to maintain his integrity.
9. Great leaders who follow the leadership style of Jesus are generous with their resources, their time, their wisdom, and their insight. They give as Jesus gave, expecting nothing in return.
10. The leadership style of Jesus reminds us that authentic leaders must always speak the truth, always live the truth, and always handle the truth with love.
11. Effective leaders are forgiving leaders. We cannot work with people by holding grudges against them.
12. In the kingdom of Jesus, the leader is the one who serves, and the servant is the one who leads. Jesus came to stand position power on its head.
13. The person who cannot control his or her temper cannot lead like Jesus.
14. Leadership is a lonely calling, and we as leaders are often required to make hard decisions in which the blame or fault is ours alone.
15. To be a leader is to be a target for criticism. Learning how to deal with unjust criticism is one of the most important lessons a leader must learn.
16. You may think it’s hard to recruit people with good skills. But I guarantee it is even harder to recruit people with good character. It’s even harder to recruit people who will work faithfully behind the scenes, doing all the little thankless tasks that need to be done, people with the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader.
17. As you mentor and train leaders, be sure to affirm them.
18. One of the key lessons we learn from the leadership life of Jesus is that the purpose of leadership is not to produce followers, but to produce more leaders.
19. One of your most important goals as a leader should be to prepare your followers to outdo you.
20. Identify leaders early, train them well, and give them responsibility before they think they’re ready.
January 16, 2021
This is a really good read. He presents topics and questions that help you navigate through every area that might affect your leadership. From defining what is Leadership, to things to consider when developing more leaders and what the focus should be. I really think that every person no matter if they're on a leadership position or not should read about the style of Jesus and see how that could help them see a new perspective to the way they see leadership.
September 14, 2017
This is a good short read. The book’s major strength is that Youssef draws direct leadership applications from Jesus’ life with Scripture backing up just about every point. He essentially says, “A leader should be this. See, here’s how Jesus did it.” This creates a very organized and accessible package for a leader looking to use this as a resource. On the other hand, anyone looking for a stirring, rousing work of inspiration will not find one here. That's okay, because that's not what it is trying to be.
One point of contention. The section on criticism gives the impression that true leaders are not critics. The point makes sense: stop talking and start doing, but it seems to ignore that Jesus himself was a critic. He critiqued the religious system of his day for its hypocrisy, its worship of tradition, and its abuse of power. The chapter later clarifies the value of hearing criticism, but a reader could still interpret the section’s opening as a caution against speaking out about failing leadership.
All in all, a practical-though not very stirring-tool for leadership.
One point of contention. The section on criticism gives the impression that true leaders are not critics. The point makes sense: stop talking and start doing, but it seems to ignore that Jesus himself was a critic. He critiqued the religious system of his day for its hypocrisy, its worship of tradition, and its abuse of power. The chapter later clarifies the value of hearing criticism, but a reader could still interpret the section’s opening as a caution against speaking out about failing leadership.
All in all, a practical-though not very stirring-tool for leadership.
August 6, 2015
I have been a student and practitioner of the servant leadership style of Jesus. So, when I happened upon the book, "The Leadership Style of Jesus", I picked it up to gauge my adherence to the practice and to learn something. In truth, I knew 90% of what was discussed but I did learn about some practical application of the revolutionary leadership style of Jesus. This style of leadership which embraces humility, meekness, service and integrity goes against what bosses like Trump, Obama, et al practice. While they use bullying and strong-armed tactics, Jesus used honesty, respect and power under control (meekness). His way is best and has turned the world on its ear. The author, Michael Youssef presents the leadership style with the attitude that it breaks all the worldly rules of leadership. He also labels the leadership style that the world practices as raw power practiced by 'bosses.'
March 1, 2022
Insightful read
Great book for anyone with aspirations to lead and not only lead but lead as Christ led. These lessons can be applied in all aspects and scenarios in our life. Whether you realize it or not, you are a leader in some aspect of your life, so lead as our Father and savior leads.
Great book for anyone with aspirations to lead and not only lead but lead as Christ led. These lessons can be applied in all aspects and scenarios in our life. Whether you realize it or not, you are a leader in some aspect of your life, so lead as our Father and savior leads.
September 27, 2025
Excellent book! There was a lot of great info on both leadership as well as the ways Jesus lived/worked. Below are some of my personal takeaways from the book:
When someone claims they are a leader, it must be confirmed. Jesus’ claim was confirmed by the Father, by the Holy Spirit, by miracles, by the disciples, by the multitudes, and by His own life being worthy to be followed.
No one is a self-made leader. Every leader stands on the shoulders of giants.
Remember:
All ability is a gift from God.
We can do nothing to earn what God has given us.
Leadership ability is no reason to boast.
We should give thanks to God. He put people in our lives, gave us experiences, and gave us our abilities.
We should acknowledge those that have helped us on our leadership journey.
Jesus said His sheep know His name. A true shepherd leader knows, serves, and sacrifices for his sheep.
Most leaders want to be boss, but Jesus says a shepherd serves. Most want to give orders, but Jesus says a shepherd lays his life down for his sheep.
Bosses control the sheep through fear, but wise shepherds guide and comfort the sheep.
Affective leaders are forgiving leaders. People can touch tender areas of your life, but you make the choice whether to hold onto it or let it go.
Healing doesn’t just happen, we must work to make it happen.
Humor can be a powerful tool for a leader, but it should never be used to demean or belittle others.
Authentic leaders want to give recognition, not take it.
Genuine leaders are secure in Jesus and do not need to defend their egos.
Criticism hurts. The normal response is to deny or ignore, but we can ask the Holy Spirit to search us and know what is true.
The way Jesus looked for leaders was not looking to those who already held positions, but making leaders out of followers.
In every organization, there are “hidden” leaders, waiting to be found and developed.
Leaders are chosen and gifted by God, but we have to discover and develop them.
One of the key lessons we learn from the leadership life of Jesus is that the purpose of leadership is not to produce followers but to produce more leaders.
When someone claims they are a leader, it must be confirmed. Jesus’ claim was confirmed by the Father, by the Holy Spirit, by miracles, by the disciples, by the multitudes, and by His own life being worthy to be followed.
No one is a self-made leader. Every leader stands on the shoulders of giants.
Remember:
All ability is a gift from God.
We can do nothing to earn what God has given us.
Leadership ability is no reason to boast.
We should give thanks to God. He put people in our lives, gave us experiences, and gave us our abilities.
We should acknowledge those that have helped us on our leadership journey.
Jesus said His sheep know His name. A true shepherd leader knows, serves, and sacrifices for his sheep.
Most leaders want to be boss, but Jesus says a shepherd serves. Most want to give orders, but Jesus says a shepherd lays his life down for his sheep.
Bosses control the sheep through fear, but wise shepherds guide and comfort the sheep.
Affective leaders are forgiving leaders. People can touch tender areas of your life, but you make the choice whether to hold onto it or let it go.
Healing doesn’t just happen, we must work to make it happen.
Humor can be a powerful tool for a leader, but it should never be used to demean or belittle others.
Authentic leaders want to give recognition, not take it.
Genuine leaders are secure in Jesus and do not need to defend their egos.
Criticism hurts. The normal response is to deny or ignore, but we can ask the Holy Spirit to search us and know what is true.
The way Jesus looked for leaders was not looking to those who already held positions, but making leaders out of followers.
In every organization, there are “hidden” leaders, waiting to be found and developed.
Leaders are chosen and gifted by God, but we have to discover and develop them.
One of the key lessons we learn from the leadership life of Jesus is that the purpose of leadership is not to produce followers but to produce more leaders.
January 14, 2022
This book based its influence and theology on the leadership style of Jesus, which deserves a 5/5. Michel Youssef gave excellent principles for what it means to live out the Lord’s lifestyle for the mission that God has called us to.
Michel Youssef also expressed the temptations of leadership, such as power, ego, criticism, and loneliness, and how these all can affect God’s purpose for us. To give some background of where these temptations can thwart us of our purpose is when we are in a leadership role. (For Example. Full-time ministry for a church, school, business, or missionary work.) If we look at how Jesus handled the lonely calling, the criticism of others, doubters, and anger. Jesus didn’t focus on human customs while He was living His ministry. He actually focused on the actual needs of the people, and the Great Commission that God wanted Him to start.
Therefore, I enjoyed what God has been telling me over these last couple of months with this book. It was an excellent guide. Thanks.
Michel Youssef also expressed the temptations of leadership, such as power, ego, criticism, and loneliness, and how these all can affect God’s purpose for us. To give some background of where these temptations can thwart us of our purpose is when we are in a leadership role. (For Example. Full-time ministry for a church, school, business, or missionary work.) If we look at how Jesus handled the lonely calling, the criticism of others, doubters, and anger. Jesus didn’t focus on human customs while He was living His ministry. He actually focused on the actual needs of the people, and the Great Commission that God wanted Him to start.
Therefore, I enjoyed what God has been telling me over these last couple of months with this book. It was an excellent guide. Thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2023
This was a well-written, quick-read leadership book-- what made it so good was that Youssef was able to tie each of the leadership principles into Jesus' life. I thought the lay-out of the book, the way the topics were divided up was well-done. I'll be keeping this one close by my desk at work to refer to often.
November 3, 2017
This book shows important characteristics of leadership from the perspective of how Jesus served. If we want to be a true leader, not for our own glory-but to truly help others, we will look at His leadership styles and imitate them.
January 6, 2018
You can use this in whatever area that you are in. Helps you to understand how Jesus was gentle but yet stern about his mission on earth. Leaderships everything.
October 11, 2021
Great fusion, haha very american
Leadership? Check
Jesus? Check
Bible? Check
Great way to learn about all 3 awesome!
Leadership? Check
Jesus? Check
Bible? Check
Great way to learn about all 3 awesome!
May 18, 2022
The Leadership Style of Jesus by Michael Youssef is a book originally published in 1886. The book walks readers through the way Jesus led His disciples, religious leaders, and even strangers around him when He was on Earth, and how you can personally improve your own leadership skills. There are five main parts of the book: the beginnings of leadership, the qualities of leadership, the temptations of leadership, the problems of leadership, and the future of leadership. In each section, there are multiple subsections which talk about traits and characteristics that can affect leadership, like ego, power, courage, forgiveness, and much more. The first section of the book is very helpful, especially for those who are new leaders. The second section will teach you about the qualities of leadership that are important that all leaders should have. The third section will warn you about the temptations that come with leadership, and how to avoid it. The fourth section is also very important, because it teaches you about the problems of leadership that you as a leader could experience, and how you can avoid them. The fifth section isn’t as important as the rest, but it teaches you how you can transform your followers into leaders themselves, and also where leaders come from. All of these chapters were very helpful to me, and I can say confidently that they all made some impact into my life and my leadership. I have learned to adopt Christ-like qualities into my leadership as well as my daily life. I have personally learned to accept criticism instead of denying it entirely just like Christ. The book has also helped me a lot when the “power” section came up. It taught me a lot about the powers of leadership and all the authority that leaders have over their followers, and it is the leader’s responsibility to use that power wisely.
The author Michael Youssef is an Egyptian immigrant who, after becoming a Christian, lived in Lebanon, Australia, and later moved to the United States. While in Australia, Youssef became a minister and met his wife. He later became a United States citizen and gained further degrees in religion, and went on to found the Church of the Apostles in 1987. Although Youssef is mainly known for being a pastor, he is also a very successful Christian author, writing and publishing 35 books as of today. His book, The Leadership Style of Jesus, was not made for money, but he writes his books to help guide people in the ways of Christ. I’m not the only person who was guided by this book in one way or another, according to GoodReads.com, Youssef’s book The Leadership Style of Jesus has a review of 4.33 stars out of 5. Judging by the rating alone, you can tell that it is a good and helpful book before you even read it. One reader by the username Cristian Rivera Fermaint commented, “This is a really good read. He presents topics and questions that help you navigate through every area that might affect your leadership.” Another commenter by the name of Cedric Dukes, an author himself, commented, “You can use this in whatever area that you are in. It helps you to understand how Jesus was gentle but yet stern about his mission on Earth. Leadership is everything.” Another writer named R. Albert Mohler Jr. wrote, “Michael Youssef is a remarkable pastor and a great Christian leader. In this book, he looks to Jesus Christ and draws important lessons for us all; lessons every Christian should take to heart and put to practice.” If I didn’t read the book and these were my only references to the book, I would have learned that this book teaches about Jesus using leadership himself and how you can personally apply it into your life. However, I did read the book and I can confirm the comments to be true. Not only is Michael Youssef an excellent writer, but he is an imaginative and creative one too.
Michael Youssef does something that not a lot of authors do, he includes a quote in almost every page. As the book is mainly aimed at Christians, Youssef includes a lot of Biblical quotes to back up his evidence and advice. Apart from this, the book is written in such a way that it would appear that Youssef himself is speaking to you in a one on one conversation. He specifically uses words like “you”, “me”, “us”, and it really makes me feel as if I am the one being read to. The book is mainly for advice, so the real main character would be Jesus, because that is who the author is gathering the advice from. However, there are moments in the book where he references past leaders, like George Washington and Napoléon Bonaparte. Overall, I would strongly recommend this book to any and all Christians. It will help improve overall life and relationships with God. I would also strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their leadership skills. Subjectively, Jesus was the greatest leader of all time and showed everyone how to be the best leader they could. Even if you do not believe in God, it is an excellent novel to improve your life overall.
The author Michael Youssef is an Egyptian immigrant who, after becoming a Christian, lived in Lebanon, Australia, and later moved to the United States. While in Australia, Youssef became a minister and met his wife. He later became a United States citizen and gained further degrees in religion, and went on to found the Church of the Apostles in 1987. Although Youssef is mainly known for being a pastor, he is also a very successful Christian author, writing and publishing 35 books as of today. His book, The Leadership Style of Jesus, was not made for money, but he writes his books to help guide people in the ways of Christ. I’m not the only person who was guided by this book in one way or another, according to GoodReads.com, Youssef’s book The Leadership Style of Jesus has a review of 4.33 stars out of 5. Judging by the rating alone, you can tell that it is a good and helpful book before you even read it. One reader by the username Cristian Rivera Fermaint commented, “This is a really good read. He presents topics and questions that help you navigate through every area that might affect your leadership.” Another commenter by the name of Cedric Dukes, an author himself, commented, “You can use this in whatever area that you are in. It helps you to understand how Jesus was gentle but yet stern about his mission on Earth. Leadership is everything.” Another writer named R. Albert Mohler Jr. wrote, “Michael Youssef is a remarkable pastor and a great Christian leader. In this book, he looks to Jesus Christ and draws important lessons for us all; lessons every Christian should take to heart and put to practice.” If I didn’t read the book and these were my only references to the book, I would have learned that this book teaches about Jesus using leadership himself and how you can personally apply it into your life. However, I did read the book and I can confirm the comments to be true. Not only is Michael Youssef an excellent writer, but he is an imaginative and creative one too.
Michael Youssef does something that not a lot of authors do, he includes a quote in almost every page. As the book is mainly aimed at Christians, Youssef includes a lot of Biblical quotes to back up his evidence and advice. Apart from this, the book is written in such a way that it would appear that Youssef himself is speaking to you in a one on one conversation. He specifically uses words like “you”, “me”, “us”, and it really makes me feel as if I am the one being read to. The book is mainly for advice, so the real main character would be Jesus, because that is who the author is gathering the advice from. However, there are moments in the book where he references past leaders, like George Washington and Napoléon Bonaparte. Overall, I would strongly recommend this book to any and all Christians. It will help improve overall life and relationships with God. I would also strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their leadership skills. Subjectively, Jesus was the greatest leader of all time and showed everyone how to be the best leader they could. Even if you do not believe in God, it is an excellent novel to improve your life overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2013
Michael Youssefis a great writer and for the first time in a long while I felt truly impressed by the leadership concepts being presented. Not one page goes by without sound biblical reference and additional examples of modern leaders used to make a point. For many looking to read a neo-pop culture version of John Maxwell, this is your book. And that is not meant to be a drumming of the book at all, but instead an acknowledgment that the iPod generation is moving into leadership roles and they need more than just Passion Conferences Podcast to get them motivated to lead. His style of writing is light, airy, and conversational but not vapid. I was struck by his use of the CEO of Starbucks as an example, since recent comments of the CFO seem to be a little anti-church, but Youseff backs up the secular example with scripture. He balances the tools you need to be a leader with modern examples and the moral steerage of Jesus Christ, without the negative nagging patriarch tone of some older leadership readings.
I'm really blessed for reading it and will definitely keep it in my rotation of leadership readings for the next few years. Comparisons would lead me toJesus, CEO, writings by Francis Chan or Louie Giglio, and some of Andy Andrews works.
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley.
I'm really blessed for reading it and will definitely keep it in my rotation of leadership readings for the next few years. Comparisons would lead me toJesus, CEO, writings by Francis Chan or Louie Giglio, and some of Andy Andrews works.
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley.
February 8, 2014
Easy Read. Some Good suggestions like "encourage leaders to lead before they think they are ready"
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews