“It is a scenario familiar to long-suffering wives everywhere. Hopelessly lost on a country road, the man behind the wheel refuses to ask directions, grits his teeth and drives even faster into unknown territory. But while the reluctance of male drivers to accept any outside help certainly seems like pig-headedness, it may actually stem from a less macho cause: blind panic. Men will rigidly stick to their original “system” – such as a map or set of directions – even though it has clearly led them astray.” (Source: Nick Collins – The Telegraph)

Last summer during our family vacation we visited Pyramid Point… a beautiful spot. The only problem… the area is so remote our GPS didn’t work. So… we got hopelessly lost on a country road. After several futile attempts to find our destination, I stopped the car and asked for directions from a couple who were out for a walk.  Within 60 seconds they pointed us in the proper direction, and we arrived at Pyramid Point 5 minutes later.

Moses was one of the greatest leaders in history. He lead approximately 2-3 million former slaves out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land. In Exodus we learn that one of his daily duties was “holding court” for the people. They would stand in line from sunrise to sunset so he could settle their disputes. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, said to him: “The direction you’re moving in is not good. You’re setting yourself up for burnout, and the people who crowd around you every day aren’t receiving proper attention either.” Somewhere along the line, this great leader had gotten off course.

Jethro’s words to his son-in-law were honest bordering on blunt… but he followed up with a workable plan. In Exodus 18 he told Moses – “You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to Him.  Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.  But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain… have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” Moses was used to leading the masses… now it was time for him to grow… to transition from leading the masses to leading leaders.

Seems simple enough, right? But honestly… how many of us struggle with that kind of leadership transition? Jethro’s advice to Moses over 3000 years can be boiled down to 4 key behaviors:

Scout

Transitional leaders keep their eyes open for people who demonstrate character, capability, and passion. They recruit team members out of purposeful habit instead of habitual crisis.

Develop

Transitional leaders commit adequate time and resources to grow the people they recruit. It’s one thing to bring people onboard. It’s another to develop them.

Release

Transitional leaders place their well-trained team members into roles that fit their maturity, skillset, and passion… and then cut them loose to serve.

Monitor

Transitional leaders stay in touch with their team without micro-managing. They evaluate, encourage, and resource their team.

So leader…. do you ever ask for directions? Or when it’s obvious you need some help… do you double down? “I know what I’m doing… I don’t need anyone’s help.” Let’s be honest… for many of us… fear plays a big part in our hesitance. We tend to think that asking for help equals failure.

Can I encourage you to reject both fear and lies? Welcome objective assessment. Listen to wise Jethro figures that bring a fresh set of eyes into your world. You’ll get to your destination faster… and enjoy the journey more.