Bill Robinson: Incarnate Leadership Book Summary

Bill Robinson argues in his book, putting himself out from the endless debate between nurture and nature theory of leadership and says, "We are influenced by nature and nurture but we are imprisoned by none". Consequently, Bill help the reader to a possibility of being influenced  and inspired by great leaders, that he would like to brought into attention, Jesus Christ. According to Bill, even the desire of being a great leader is coming from our desire to be the imitators of Christ. In other words, Christ is the ideal for every leader, the destiny and the focal point of leadership. Advice from Bill, "Never stop learning from Him (Jesus)."

Bill Robinson entitled the book and his concept of leadership with this, Incarnate Leadership, and he  provide five lessons from the life of Jesus. Let's explore, those five lessons are:

1. Minding the Gap

For Bill, the incarnate leadership is presenting humility and other-centeredness. John 1:1 clearly describes this in the preface, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." There is a gap between our ego and what we should do as a good leader. Good leader is not only the leader that goes up but also can goes down. "The choice to dwell among", that is the incarnate leadership all about. There is always a gap between us as leader and those we lead. Therefore we need to working ourselves down. There are several gap test that Bill provided in the chapter. First, knowing the names of every person on my organization. Second, delegating responsibility is to delegate authority as well. Third, taking a confidential evaluation from subordinates. Most importantly, they of minding the gap and incarnate leadership is to love those we lead. 

2. Leading Openly

Leading open means that as a leader, we need to lead transparently. The aim of openness is not to open everything but to open and disclose something that can help people and could benefit. Openness also related tightly with the integrity as Bill says, "the commitment to openness is commitment to truth." Jesus leadership is leadership that let others see him up close and personal. Moreover, without transparency, there is no trust. According to statistics of many successful groups, most of the time, the reason why they are thriving and growing because they are all having an environment of trust. To gain trust from our subordinates, openness need to come first, and not the other-way round. 

3. Bending the light

Bending the light in leadership means that we need to reflect the glory of God. Bill wrote, "It is out about our brightness that we are not the light, we only reflect it. It is not about our brightness and how good we are, but about God's brightness and how good He is." As Jesus, who shine the glory of the father then everything that we do is not merely about us. The practical example that leader can start to apply is to give an appreciation to those who deserve. As a leader, we should not steal the praise all the time. Also stationing others good above our good is the real example of bending the light. Yes, there is a competition in human interaction but as incarnate leader, friendly competition is what matter not aggressive competition for the greatest enemy of all, after all is our own selves.  

4. Living in Grace and Truth

Incarnate leadership is essentially gracious. Rather than blame people, incarnate leader march toward the problem. To disclose the possibility of error in group is not a good culture to foster. Good leader allow mistakes and error yet, "grace never lowers the demands and expectation", Bill argues. The rule is simple, when we trust other they will trust us back. When we doubt others, they will doubt us back. Therefore, if we present grace, grace will circles back and bless the leader. Moreover, as leader need to bear three kinds of truth. First, hard truth. Second, Plain Truth. Third, God's truth. And two questions that leader need to ask frequently are these: "What is the grace-filled things to do?" "What is the truth-filled things to do?"

5. Sacrificing

last but not least, sacrifice is vital as Incarnate leader. Sacrifice is always related to love and responsibility and not about strengthen our position or deepen our influence. It moves from self-interest to mission. There are several elements of sacrifice that Bill listed in the book: Time, comfort, credit and privilege. Those are the things that also clearly been shown in the life of Jesus, Jesus sacrifice all for others good thus, sacrifice essentially inspire and lead others up. Bill close the chapter with a conclusion that, "leadership without sacrifice is not Christian leadership." As Philippians 2:6-8 best describes about Jesus, our greatest example of being a great leader: 

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and become obedient to death-even death on a cross!"