Pest-Free Pastures

Leadership

The poor sheep were emaciated and loafing around in mud and patches of brown grass. Blowflies swarmed around their eyes and noses, laying eggs in cuts all over the sheep’s backs. The cuts came from infighting within the herd, competing for the limited resources and nourishment in an unkempt pasture. They had sores, they were hungry, terrified of predators attacking them from the broken-down fences, and weren’t very productive or valuable.

This is what happens when sheep are kept in an unsafe pasture without adequate nourishment and pest control. A flock cannot produce the best wool and gain useful weight unless they get the nourishment and rest they need. They will stay emaciated and nasty unless they get the care required to be healthy. And that is exactly what happens to your team and families if they suffer the same.

"Look to God's instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness." (Isaiah 8:20-22)

In “The Way of the Shepherd” by Kevin Lehman, the author discusses the three things a flock needs to be productive.

1. The flock must be free from fear. They instinctively know where they are vulnerable, and it’s your job to lead them to peace.

Eliminate uncertainty so the rumor mill isn’t the source of information. Let them hear the truth from you first, especially if it’s bad news.
Communicate individually, as well as to the flock. Keep people informed on their performance regularly, not just annually, or worse, never.

2. Remove rivalry. Leadership is the proper allocation of limited resources to achieve a desired result. Make sure your team isn’t biting and scratching at each other for the available resources.

People are consumed with the pecking order, making sure everyone knows their unique importance.
Cull instigators. It only takes one contentious person to destroy the atmosphere of the entire team.
Rotate opportunities so people don’t feel they have to fight for them.

3. Eliminate pests. Irritations that, over time, cause an unhealthy environment if not dealt with. It’s the smallest disturbances sometimes that cause the greatest issues.

Unnecessary meetings, overwhelming numbers of unimportant emails, ineffective communications, constant shifts in priorities and initiatives.
People who spend more time distracting others than producing outcomes.
Complaining and gossiping.

As a good shepherd for your flock, you must make your pasture a safe place to grow and produce.

They also must see you as a trusted leader. That means they have to see you. Maintain high levels of visibility and let them see you quickly taking care of problems before they fester (this is a hard one to learn). The more they see you removing problems quickly, the more they will trust that you are looking out for the safety of the entire flock.

Give your teams a healthy pasture to grow and be prosperous. Remove fear, rivalry, and pests. Encourage each of them individually and know their state. The Bible says If they grow weary and hungry, they will respond with rage and doubt, resulting in losing them to somewhere else, or even worse, keeping them, and hurting the entire flock. Create pest-free pastures.