There are many styles of leadership. Many ways to lead:

Autocratic.

Democratic.

Charismatic.

And then there’s the David way:

HEART and HANDS.

‘David shepherded them with integrity of HEART; with skilful HANDS he led them.’ (Psalm 78:72)

The shepherd-king took his employment experiences and maximised them for his leadership responsibilities. David took his experience of caring for sheep and turned that experience into loving his people. David took the meticulous methods employed in the guarding of his flock and he transferred those skills in the leading of his people. David led with heart and hands.

Heart? Pastoral concern for those under his care.

Hands? Skilfully directing those who looked to him for a lead.

There has never been a greater time for leaders to lead with loving hearts and skilful hands. 

There has never been a greater temptation for leaders to develop hard hearts and clumsy hands.

Hearts become hard when the multiple demands, pressures and responsibilities in a time of excessive change form a foundation of hurry and harassment.

Hands become clumsy when the multiple decisions, adaptions and adjustments required to navigate a global pandemic create a leadership fatigue. 

In a pandemic, resilient leaders resist the magnetic-pull toward hard-hearts and clumsy-hands. They lead with passion and skill. With love and diligence. With integrity and intelligence. 

Healthy leaders check their hearts. They examine their interior life to see if there is any anger, bitterness, discontent, hurt or cynicism lurking in the shadows of their soul. They ask God to soften their hearts.

Healthy leaders develop their hands. They carefully employ their skills conscientiously. And where those skills are lacking they learn; they read; they listen; they repeat, until their skills are honed. 

How do you lead through a pandemic?

With heart and hands.