Lion's Den

Excerpts from Ed Stetzer:  Leadership Book Interview with Tom Harper

ES: You recently published Leading from the Lions' Den. Why another leadership book? How is it different from other books on the same subject?

TH: The business and leadership books that have impacted me the most actually teach concepts from the Bible. For example, the works of John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins and others have sold in the tens of millions. I read Maxwell and Blanchard for years and never knew about their Christian backgrounds nor how heavily they drew from the Bible. Jim Collins' Level 5 Leader matches the description of Jesus in many ways. So I thought, why not go to the source and pull out more of this material and not be quiet about where it came from?

Several years ago I led a study on the book of Proverbs and probably learned more than the other guys in the group. The practical insights and bullet-point wisdom were astounding. As I looked through the rest of the Bible for similar insights, I was overwhelmed at the volume of practical information. There is so much in those ancient pages that is still waiting to be discovered! I want to open the eyes of leaders in the church and the marketplace to these riches.

ES: Why do you use the term "lions' den"?

TH: I call leadership a lions' den because many people watch leaders stumble, take hits, deal with conflict, deflect criticism, or fail, and they simply step away to watch what the leader will do. Sort of like spectators watching to see if you'll survive the gladiator pit.

We're all surrounded by challenging people and situations. Conflict, pain, arguing, lack of excellence and laziness often make the leader's job hard. Also, leaders deal with the stuff no one else wants to deal with - they must break up fights, absorb criticism, deflect cynicism, and feed people's hunger for fulfillment. And they must do it with the confident smile of a lion tamer.

The Bible offers all kinds of advice and examples on how to successfully lead while in the midst of the lions. Most people have heard of Daniel and the Lions' Den, so we chose to refer to it in the title. Plus, Daniel's trip to the den is a great example of leadership under fire.

ES: What is the most valuable leadership principle you are applying in your life currently to keep you on mission with God's kingdom?

TH: The chapter I wrote about Esther, which I call "Expect 50 Answers When You Ask Why," has helped me deal with daily chaos and unpredictability. Esther couldn't see God working in the moment, when the odds kept stacking against her. And yet at the end of the story, we see how the unmistakable hand of God had directed the people and circumstances that led the salvation of Esther and her family, not to mention her entire people. This long-range perspective helps me see how my life can be God's movement in this world, no matter what's going on around me right now.