Managing People
Timothy C. Mitchell

 Our Resource – people.
•	We are in the people business. 
•	The more we know about people—their likes and dislikes, what motivates them, their goals, why are they here—the better we can relate to and efficiently manage people. 
•	People are made in the "image of God" (Genesis 1:26-27).
•	 Remember these attributes when dealing with people.

Believe in the uprightness, the desire to do right, of your fellow workers. 
•	Humans walk in the upright position, not on all fours like animals. 
•	"God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). 
•	Sometimes it is hard to find the good, but look for it. 
•	It is usually hiding behind the carnality of us all.

There is unlimited potential in every individual. 
•	Listen to what God confessed in Genesis 11:6, "This they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."

We will work hard for praise and pleasure. 
•	"For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). 
•	We were born to bring pleasure to God. 
•	"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:2). 
•	We will endure and do the seemingly impossible even against our will if we can see the joyful result!

Every person will live eternally in a place dictated by their life's works. 
•	"And man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). 
•	Always remember when working with people that if one makes a mistake with them, it could be eternal. Handle with prayer!
•	On and on the list could go. 
•	The final conclusion of the matter is, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself' (Matthew 22:39).

 Motivating Others 
•	The best way to motivate others is to be an example. 
•	In order for others to follow us we must first show them how to do it. 
•	Fear is going into the unknown. 
•	People feel uncomfortable when asked to do something they have never done before. 
•	For example, if you ask someone to go into a dark room, they are reluctant. 
•	If you go in ahead of them and turn on the light, their fears vanish. 
•	Our main job as leaders then, is to build confidence in our subordinates by giving them an example to emulate.

Joshua
•	He was a type of Jesus, was an excellent model of leadership in the Bible. 
•	Joshua instructed the people to follow leaders as they followed God into new territory.
•	“And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way herefore” (Joshua 3:2-4)
•	Another lesson given was the respectful distance between the ministry and laity. 
•	This relationship must be maintained so that over-familiarity does not occur.
•	The passage of Jordan was completed and perfectly executed because of clear direction following the example set by the priests.
•	“And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground until all the people were passed clean over Jordan” (Joshua 3:17).
•	There are two things to notice here. 
•	First, everyone was secure in their position (firm, dry ground) because they obeyed the instructions given to them. 
•	Secondly, it was a “clean” job. 
•	The Hebrew definition of that word means to accomplish perfectly and completely.
•	At the end of his life, Joshua again recommitted the people to his ideals. 
•	First, he gave them a choice of who they wanted to serve. 
•	(People should always be given the freedom to do what they wish.)
•	 Next, he told them his choice and encouraged them to follow the example he set.
•	“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day who ye will serve; whether the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Jesus
•	Jesus as our Shepherd has given us an example to follow. 
•	He is not a goat-herder. 
•	A shepherd leads by going in front and giving an example for his sheep to follow. 
•	A goat-hearder gets behind and tries to drive his flock to where he wants them to go. 
•	The difference between sheep and goats is that if you try to lead goats they will always “but” you with questions such as, “But why do we have to do this?” 
•	A wise leader will learn that when one is always saying "but this" and "but that", this is usually a goat that cannot be led. 
•	We know how to live a Christian, godly life because "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (I Peter 2:21). 
•	When we have doubt as to what to do in any given situation, we can turn to our Lord. "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done." (St. John 13:15). 
•	As He has provided an example for his followers, so should we be willing to be a model for others to emulate under our leadership.

Paul
•	He gave some sage advice to a young leader in the making He wrote, "The husbandman must be first partaker of the fruits" (II Timothy 2:6). 
•	A leader must be the first to do it. 
•	He cannot just get up and tell everybody to do it but he must first illustrate how it is done. 
•	There are some who desire to be leaders but they are like the Pharisees, "...for they say and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." (Matthew 23:3-4). W
•	e need to be careful that we do not have the attitude of "Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them" (III John 1:9). 
•	The Greek etymology of the word preeminence according to Strong's Concordance is "to be fond of being first". 
•	This man's concept of leadership was warped.
•	 He liked being first because of power, prestige and pride.
•	 A leader must necessarily be first, but he must not allow that position to be used to his personal advantage.

Peter 
•	He wrote to the elders "Feed the flock of God which is among you, using the oversight thereof not be constraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock" (I Peter 5:2-3).

 Power Tools
•	There are things we can say and do that will bring faster and more efficient results when working with people. 
•	 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).
•	1. Praise: Everyone likes to be recognized when he does a good job. 
•	2. Correction: Believe it or not, people really do want someone to tell them when they make an error! 
•	We must be careful not to wound the spirit (desire) while breaking the will. 
•	Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?” 
•	Also, “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city” (Proverbs 18:19). 
•	How do we effectively correct someone? 
•	First, do it in private. 
•	Look the person straight in the eye and specifically tell them what they did wrong. 
•	Let them know that it is their actions that you are unhappy with, not them. 
•	Discuss with them how to correct their mistake if they do not quickly and do not dwell on the error. 
•	Re-establish a positive self-image and re-assure your leader of your confidence in them.
•	3. Encouragement: The difference between praise and encouragement is when you do it. 
•	You praise someone after they have completed a job. 
•	You encourage someone while they are doing the job. 
•	“They helped everyone his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with a hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved” (Isaiah 41:6-7)
•	4. Enthusiasm: Here is the fuse that lights the fire that ends in an explosion! 
•	Enthusiasm means to be inspired. 
•	The original Greek root of this word actually means “to be possessed by God”. 

Building Bridges: Interpersonal Relationships
•	"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves" (I Thessalonians 5:12-13).
•	The strength of any organization is the cohesion of the people network involved. 
•	We need to know our leaders and they need to know us. 
•	1. Spend time together.
•	2. Love people. 
•	Remember their special days: birthday, spiritual birthday, anniversary, etc. 
•	"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17).
•	3. Listen to people. 
•	People have a great need to be heard. 
•	Incidentally, you will learn a lot more by listening than talking. 
•	 “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28).
•	 “Where no counsel is, the people fail: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14)
•	“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established” (Proverbs 15:22).
•	Sometimes we have trouble listening to people. 
•	Just remember, God spoke to Balaam through his donkey when he would not listen to God Himself (Numbers 22). 

Suggested Additional Reading: 
1. The One Minute Manager - Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
2. Top Performance- Zig Ziglar
3. Bringing Out the Best in People - Alan Loy McGinnis

This chapter “Managing People” written by Timothy C. Mitchell was excerpted from Lay Leadership Training for the Local Church and may be used for study and research purposes only.