Lessons from leading like a good shepherd

A Reflection for Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Find today’s readings here.

What makes a good leader? Jesus seems to think it requires a willingness to sacrifice. This is not a novel concept. When I think of strong leaders in my own life, they do their best to support those they are leading—often at the expense of their own comfort. 

When hearing Jesus speak about what makes a good shepherd, of course, these leaders come to mind. However, I can’t help but also think of times when leadership has been entrusted to me. Whether that be an assignment at work, a group project back in college or even in my own creative ventures, I’m not a stranger to being in a position of leadership—shepherding a flock of friends, colleagues or classmates to do their best possible work. It is also serendipitous that I find myself reflecting on this reading now, just a couple weeks after my leadership skills were put to the test as I found myself directing my first film.

The film is a passion project, and I developed it over the course of about a year. I poured countless hours and energy into its script and began gathering the cast and crew. Because it was shot on a micro-budget, I asked many talented people to volunteer their time and energy. I felt confident in my team but was nervous because at the head of the whole thing was, well, me. I have plenty of experience working on productions but never had I been at the wheel of the ship.

Luckily, the film’s production went smoothly. I credit its success to the incredible work of the team and the many people supporting me. However, it’s impossible to look back on it now without seeing the lesson at the heart of today’s Gospel.

Was I the type of shepherd who would sacrifice himself for his sheep? I’d like to think so, but it’s difficult to tell. The shooting days went well and without many issues. There weren’t many opportunities that necessitated sacrifice. But I do think I can feel resolved in the small moments of struggle that I took on for my team—the people who trusted in me and me in them. After a long day, I tried to treat people to good dinners and affirm the hard work that they were doing; if a shot or moment in the film wasn’t working or proving difficult to achieve, I did my best to come up with quick, beneficial solutions; and perhaps most important, I did my best to let them know how much I valued and trusted them. 

There are many moments of the filming process about which I am hard on myself and things I can improve on the next time a leadership position is given to me. I did and continue to evaluate where I can still grow as a leader. Yet I feel like I was a good shepherd for the most part in this challenging experience. I believe in most of the many hectic moments on set, I was the type of shepherd who would take care of his flock.

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