A common frustration among medical professionals is that the important decisions in healthcare systems are often made by the people furthest removed from patient care.  Untouchable and out-of-touch CEOs prioritize agendas over people.  Patients get burned, healthcare providers get burnt out, and the entire system becomes a Dumpster Fire of mediocrity.  How are you supposed to have optimal Patient Care when No One Cares?

But unfortunately, this is nothing new; insecure leaders with fragile egos make irrational decisions.  We’ve already seen a classic example of this with King Saul, and we see other fetid flavors of failure later in Israel’s history as well.  For example, King Rehoboam, looking to fortify his royal standing in a fractured kingdom, heaped unbearable burdens on an already beleaguered people.  He rejected the guidance of his elders and instead enforced a policy that reeked of Little Man Syndrome…and quite predictably, it went over poorly.  Then Jeroboam, his counterpart in the North of Israel, had a different strategy.  Rather than oppress the people, set up golden calves to worship at Bethel and Dan.  Did he really think the metallic cows would answer prayer?  Doubtful.  But he wanted power, and if he could manipulate the people and keep them from worshiping in Jerusalem, it would help leverage his position. 

But then we see David.  David was far from perfect…he was a pretty lame Dad and the whole “Uriah and Bathsheba” incident was pretty terrible.  But he was a commendable leader; as 1 Samuel 18:16 says, everyone loved him because he “went out and came in before them.”  He wasn’t a detached monarch, and he operated with a distinctly human touch.  Despite his royal position and amazing successes, he was “just one of the guys.”  He was humble.  He was real.  And even though he made mistakes, he owned up to them when confronted.

Only Weak Leaders feel the need to go on Power Trips.  Step out of the Ivory Tower and spend some time in the trenches.  Rather than manipulate, Man Up.  And whether you’re a medical leader, clinician, CEO, pastor, teacher or coach, make sure that you actually know your patients, employees, congregation, students, and athletes. And I bet they’ll love you if they know you care😊