How you lead people—the way you treat them—is a direct reflection of your faith. As C.S. Lewis writes, “A man whose life has been transformed by Christ cannot help but have his worldview show through.” Leadership styles, done well, are an excellent testimony for Christ.

Following your calling as an entrepreneur often means you’ll have people working underneath you. Even if you’re the only employee at your small business, you can still lead those around you through your example.

In the Bible, we can find a variety of leadership styles, especially in the Old Testament. As you read through the kings of Judah and Israel listed in 1 and 2 Kings and Chronicles, you can easily tell through their leadership if they followed God or not.

It can be hard to display Christian leadership in business, but by taking the role of a servant and supporting your employees as they work, you can transform your workplace and display the love and unity of Christ.

Servant leadership

Jesus was a servant leader. The Savior of the world came down to live among us and lead us to the Father. He did this by serving those who followed Him: washing their feet [John 13:1-17, NIV], comforting them, and growing them in faith. His focus was on them first and how He could equip them to fulfill their God-given purposes.

Following in Jesus’ footsteps requires us to display that same servant leadership and demonstrate genuine love for those working under us.

Think about your employees or staff. How can you pray for them? Encourage them? Equip them? Ask God to provide meaningful ways for you to serve them and minister to them.

Transformational leadership

A transformational leader understands the power of collaboration and a well-equipped workforce. Nehemiah is a great example of transformational leadership in the Bible.

An ordinary person—a cupbearer tasting the Persian king’s wine to guard against assassination attempts—Nehemiah followed God’s prompting and brought together the scattered Israelite people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Despite many dangers, challenges, and direct opposition, Nehemiah created unity and did what many thought was impossible. How did he do this?

He provided the vision of a rebuilt Jerusalem and helped the disoriented Israelites catch his passion and courage. He listened to them as they worked, ensuring they had the resources they needed. When enemies came, he freed resources to protect those working on the walls. Finally, he lived out what he was asking the Israelites to do: He worked on the wall himself, donated his money to help the poor and needy, prayed before making decisions, and held fast to God’s laws.

By being the change he wanted to see, Nehemiah helped the Israelites transform and rebuild a city that was meant to stay destroyed.

Leadership is about more than responsibility, guidance, or directing employees. Instead, leadership is another opportunity to let your faith show as you care for, support, and—yes—lead your employees.

What is transformational leadership? Transformational leadership is a leadership style that focuses on inspiring change and collaboration among your employees. This leadership style focuses on empowering collaboration within your staff, so they have the courage and initiative to make decisions, be innovative, and take pride in what they do.

Other leadership styles, such as servant leadership or benevolent leadership, have slightly different goals. Servant leadership focuses on serving your employees. Benevolent leadership focuses on creating good for your employees. Each leadership style aims to lead and empower employees well—just with a different method of doing so.

How to be a transformational leader

Researcher Bernard Bass created a theory of leadership now known as “Bass’ Transformational Leadership Theory.” In this theory, he suggests that there are four different components to transformational leadership:

• intellectual stimulation
• individualized consideration
• inspirational motivation
• and idealized influence.

What does that even mean? Let’s break it down.

Intellectual stimulation: encourage creativity

Transformational leaders know they don’t have all the answers. When problems or challenges occur, they trust their employees to think creatively and find new solutions.

This is not a blind trust, hoping that something works out in the end. Before a problem or challenge occurs, transformational leaders work with their employees to make sure that:

• They’re in a role that suits them best.
• They have the training to be an expert at what they do.
• They’re confident in their tasks and responsibilities.

During the daily routine of the workplace, a transformational leader builds their employees up. When the big challenges come, employees are confident, prepared, and can successfully and creatively come up with solutions.

Individualized consideration: create relationships

In Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV), as the Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Him, Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

These two commandments are cornerstones of transformational leadership as well.

As Christians, the command is simple: Love God and love His people. As transformational leaders, it’s also simple: people first, employees second.

Transformational leaders get to know the people working underneath them. They care about how their employee is doing at work and outside of work. Their employees know they can take ideas, thoughts, concerns, challenges, and more to their boss without worry or fear.

Inspirational motivation: pass on the vision

In any business or organization, there must be visions or goals. Without having something to work towards, employees—and even leaders—find themselves in a stalemate, struggling to figure out how to move forward.

Transformational leaders know the vision they’re working towards. But more than that, they know how to give the vision to their employees. They don’t just want to lead someone towards a goal—rather, they want their employees to get excited about it and make it their own goal.

An employee who catches sight of the vision will feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for achieving goals and will be more passionate about their job. When the goals are achieved, that employee will feel a sense of accomplishment.

Benevolence

Shuffling into work on a dreary day, you discover a small piece of paper on your desk from your boss. Looking closer, you realize it’s a note of encouragement, acknowledging the hard work you’ve done and the steps you’ve taken to become a dedicated staff member. With note in hand, the day begins with a new sense of joy and commitment. This is benevolent leadership in action.

As we develop our entrepreneurial dreams, uncover new callings, and pursue new vocations, it’s important to learn new leadership skills. That’s why a commitment to being ethical and becoming a benevolent leader is crucial.

Benevolent people are kind people, but their kindness translates from thought to real-life action. By combining community, meaning, and moral ethics, benevolent leaders make a tangible difference in the lives of their followers.

Benevolence in the Bible champions others to rise higher and become all that God created them to be. It is service focused, outcome oriented, and intentionally honest. God is benevolent, kind, and slow to anger (Psalm 103:8). By studying examples of benevolence and learning new leadership styles, we are transformed into leaders of integrity.

Meaning of benevolence

There are several credible leadership styles that are backed by research, including servant leadership and transformational leadership. However, another style to add to the “toolkit” of new skills is benevolent leadership.

Benevolent leadership is a newer style initially researched by Fahri Karakas. It focuses on creating meaning for individuals with the goal of attaining the common good, inspiring hope, and pursuing whole-hearted intentionality. Rather than simply making the choice to serve others because it’s on the “to-do list”, benevolent leaders make decisions out of a deeper sense of love, kindness, and charity.

Benevolent leadership in a practical sense involves making fair choices based on ethics, encouraging positivity and togetherness, and choosing to champion the good. Viewing others as unique individuals who each have something equally different and equally beautiful to bring to the table makes a tangible difference.

Management style

Putting people at the core of any business or entrepreneurial pursuits takes practice. This style prioritizes leadership from the start and recognizes the difference committed individuals make in a successful workplace.

When the phone rings, the bills pile up, and you’re trying to figure out if your new idea is even going to work, you might be thinking that being “benevolent” and making meaning for your team should be last on your list. Adopting this style might take a bit of work, but being a faithful servant is always worth the effort. Scripture shows us that being benevolent is a crucial skill:

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
[Galatians 5:13 (ESV)]

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
[Matthew 7:12 (NIV)]

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
[Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)]

Are you ready to grow your woman-owned small business? Certification can help. When you document your business as a woman-owned small business (WOSB), you’re eligible for a wide array of advantages.

The federal government is the largest buyer of products and services in the USA. Policymakers created the WOSB program to help level the playing field for women entrepreneurs in industries where women are underrepresented.

WOSB certification is a nationally recognized designation. It can help your business to:

• Access training, educational resources, and networking events
• Bid for set-aside contracts and funding opportunities
• Achieve increased visibility, trust, and respect for your business
• Compete with larger businesses and corporations

Each year, the government sets aside 5% or more of contracting dollars for WOSBs. Some contracts are reserved for economically disadvantaged WOSBs, called EDWOSBs. This certification requires extra steps to prove that you meet certain net worth, ownership, and financial guidelines.

You’ll find WOSB opportunities in areas ranging from crop farming, food manufacturing, and commercial baking to book printing and power generation. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) oversees WOSB contracting. Go to the SBA site for a current list of eligible WOSB industries.

Women in business serve the Lord by serving others

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord.”
[Colossians 3:23 (ESV)]

Since Biblical times, women have excelled in enterprises of all shapes and sizes. They’ve spun linens (Exodus 35:25), made tents (Acts 18:2), sold garments and supply belts to tradesmen (Proverbs 31:25), planted vineyards (Proverbs 31:16), or tended sheep (Genesis 29:9). Godly women share diverse talents with their families, communities, and world.

Whether you’re an established woman entrepreneur or a mompreneur with a new business plan, you’re familiar with the challenges women entrepreneurs face, and you’re up for the adventure. Whatever your calling, you’re most likely to succeed if you seek God’s guidance first and work diligently, as for the Lord (Proverbs 14:23).

When you were young, did you ever have a dream job? Whether the dream was to be a chef, a lawyer, a doctor, or maybe even a rockstar, most of us felt a strong pull towards a specific career. What is it about growing older that throws such a wrench in our young hopes and dreams?

As children, we tend to view the world through rose-colored glasses. At some point, the hard hammer of reality and practicality comes to knock some sense into us. And even after all the pondering and planning, many doubt their eventual career choices.

If you’re someone who’s questioning whether you’re able to honor God with your career, whether you’re able to use your God-given gifts in your role, or whether there might be a better fit for you somewhere out there, the lack of certainty can really weigh on you. So how do you know what your calling is?

What is a calling from God?

We can really overcomplicate what God calls us to do. Our career isn’t our primary calling—so what is?

Matthew 22:37-39, NIV says our main calling is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

First and foremost, we’re called to love God. Second, we’re called to love the people around us. Our job should be used as an outlet to accomplish our calling from Jesus. When looking at a career, our main question should be whether we can love God and others through our work.

If we can bring honor to God through our careers by loving Him and others, we can step out with confidence that God will take care of the rest. Romans 8:28, KJV assures, “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” 

God’s gift

Our God-given gifts are one way we can accomplish loving God and others. 1 Corinthians 12 (NIV) speaks on how we’re established with unique gifts that we’re meant to exercise.

Verses 4-7 say, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

The “common good” refers to the Body of Christ—or the church. This doesn’t mean we need to quit our current jobs and start working at the church. Whether or not our careers are in ministry, we can still participate in ministry. Volunteering at the church, opening our homes to others, teaching the younger generations, being a listening ear, and even organization are all gifts that can serve our fellow believers.

Every gift provides value to the body of Christ, regardless of how small and insignificant it might seem. “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be” [1 Cor. 12:17-18].

Keep the faith

As believers, we often get in the habit of condemning ourselves and others once things stop going according to plan. As soon as we hit roadblocks of any sort, it’s easy to want to hit the brakes and shut down. Here’s the thing: We’re not promised smooth sailing while serving God. In fact, we’re almost certain to encounter suffering.

1 Peter 5:8-10, ESV refers to the devil as a lion, prowling around and looking for easy prey. We’re called to resist him and stay firm in our faith, knowing we’re promised restoration and strength after enduring suffering.

If we encounter issues and hiccups while trying to honor God through our work, that isn’t an automatic sign we’re in the wrong field. If there are moments when we’re struggling to fulfill God’s calling, it doesn’t necessarily mean we need to find a new job.

Ecclesiastes 9:10a, NIV says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” It doesn’t say we should stop trying, and it doesn’t say we should look for something else to do—it says we need to try our hardest. Struggles aren’t indicative of failure, and we still need to show up ready to honor God through our work, even when it gets hard.

If you’ve ever worked in an unhealthy environment where you felt your superiors were taking advantage of you or didn’t value you, you know how drained and unfulfilled it leaves you. Perhaps you’re familiar with this thought: “If I was in charge, I would do things differently.”

As an entrepreneur, you’re finally in a position where you’re in control—you’re the big boss. Now that you have employees or people you work alongside, do you do things differently? Are you the superior you always wished you had?

Power, intelligence, and work ethic—while enticing and important—aren’t all that’s needed to make a good leader. A good leader makes the people under them feel empowered, valued, and appreciated. They’re understanding, empathetic, and willing to serve others.

If you don’t know what makes a good and godly leader, look to Scripture. Jesus explains what makes a good leader in Matthew 20:25-28 (ESV):

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Servant leadership examples

What are key servant leadership characteristics? Here are two great examples of leaders who humbled themselves to serve others in the Bible.

Esther

Esther was brought up from humble Jewish beginnings to become King Ahasuerus’ queen. She kept her identity secret, which played a part in winning the king’s favor. When Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, refused to bow before Haman, the grand vizier, Haman received permission from the king to put Mordecai and the Israelite people to death.

Mordecai pleads his case before Esther, begging her to save him and their people. She resolved to go before the king without permission, knowing this could lead to her death. She approached the king humbly and used wisdom to win his favor before letting him know Haman had sentenced her people to death.

Through her resolve, humility, and bravery, Esther risked her own life to save her people, becoming an amazing example of servant leadership.

Jesus

Jesus is by far the best example of a servant leader. Jesus, fully God, humbled Himself to become a man, accepting the painful and humiliating death of the cross (Philippians 2:8 KJV). As God, He had the ability to rule over all the earth, but He humbly chose to walk the path of a servant for our sakes.

When Satan approached Jesus who had been fasting for 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tried to use His physical weakness against Him, tempting Him to turn stones into bread. When that didn’t work, Satan tried to convince Jesus to throw Himself off the temple to establish His power to save Himself. And when that didn’t work, Satan offered Jesus the entire world in exchange for His worship. Jesus denied Satan at every turn, choosing to walk the humble path set out before Him (Matthew 4:1-11 NIV).

Throughout Jesus’ time on earth, He extended mercy to the sinners who deserved judgement, often going out of His way to minister to the ones who’d been rejected by society.

At the last supper, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. He then said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14 NIV). Jesus set an example for His followers, showing that they should be looking for ways to serve the people around them.

Later, when Jesus hung on the cross, the people crucifying Him demanded He save Himself to prove He was God, but Jesus stood firm, knowing His death needed to take place for our salvation (Matthew 27:38-44 ESV).

We don’t often think of work as a good thing. Many of us long for retirement or pine for a world where we can work less and play more.

And while there’s wisdom in finding work-life balance and putting aside time for rest and recreation, work shouldn’t be seen as a roadblock to happiness and fulfillment.

In fact, we derive fulfillment from our work, but it’s easy to overlook this in the face of discontentment. How can we affirm the truths of work? Let’s look to Scripture.

God’s perfect plan

Work is a massive part of our lives on Earth. The average person will spend one-third of their entire life at work. That number might seem daunting—and maybe even a little depressing—but it doesn’t need to be. Work wasn’t intended to be a negative factor in life—God intended us to work from the onset of creation, even before the fall.

Genesis 2:15 (NIV) says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Before Satan tempted humankind and the curse of sin entered the world, we were called to work. This was all a part of God’s perfect plan for us. It makes sense, too, since work provides fulfillment for most people. We weren’t created to sit around and do nothing; we were created to enrich this world through our unique gifts and talents.

To God be the glory

Imagine how fulfilling a life dedicated to God’s service would be. Now, make your imagination your reality—our work should always point back to Christ. Here are some verses that affirm this truth loud and clear:

•  “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
• “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
• “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” – Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Every word you speak, every action you take, and every success you experience should always glorify God. This holds true whether you work in ministry, a secular workplace, or if you’re self-employed—everything you do can and should be God-honoring.

Even if the people around you aren’t receptive, you should still glorify God. Besides, our focus should be on eternal things—not worldly gain (John 6:27 NIV).

Go to work—even if you don’t want to

This isn’t a recommendation. Scripture’s clear that this life requires work. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV) says, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” And Galatians 6:4-5 (KJV) shares a similar sentiment: “For every man shall bear his own burden.”

Essentially, if you don’t carry your load and don’t put in the work to eat, someone else is. While the Body of Christ is encouraged to help carry the loads and burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:2 KJV), it’s not an excuse for inaction. Your heart should focus on how to help and serve others, not on how to get the most out of others to benefit yourself.

A bare minimum attempt isn’t enough

We’re all given gifts for which to glorify God. Romans 12:6 (ESV) says, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.” We’re called to use them—not hide them away.

Perhaps the best example of this is the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30 ESV). A master gives his servants different amounts of wealth (talents) to manage and take care of while he journeys. Two of the servants stewarded their talents well and created more. The third hide away his talent for fear of misusing it. When the master returned, he rebuked the servant who didn’t steward the talent well.

As believers, we’re called to hold ourselves to biblical standards in all areas of life. Many of these standards aren’t upheld by the secular work world, and it can be difficult staying steadfast when peer pressure and ridicule come our way.

Ideally, we’d be able to separate ourselves from anything that might challenge or distract from our convictions, but avoidance isn’t always possible or recommended.

We’re called to spread the truth of the Gospel to unbelievers; interaction with the world is unavoidable. Additionally, many believers don’t work in a Christian workplace. So how can Christians in the workplace keep biblical convictions in a secular world?

Not of this world

As Christians, we’re different—or we should be. We need to set ourselves apart from the world through how we think, how we speak, and how we act. In Ephesians 4:17-19 (NIV), Paul explains this, urging the Ephesian church to separate themselves from how the world lives.

And because of these differences, there’s every likelihood we’ll experience judgement from the world. 1 Peter 4:3-4 (NIV) talks about how unbelievers live in debauchery, and that they’ll heap abuse on us because they can’t understand why we live differently.

But even if we encounter abuse, ridicule, and judgement, we can keep a positive attitude knowing God’s in control. As John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We should experience conviction whenever faced with sin. We should erect boundaries when dealing with secular environments and nonbelievers. These boundaries aren’t barriers to developing working relationships with nonbelievers, but they should be barriers to engaging in sinful behavior our colleagues might engage in.

There’s a difference between a job, a vocation, and a calling. While a job is just that—a means of work—a vocation is so much more.

Whether we’re considering the move to entrepreneurship, we’re in the midst of making our God-given dreams or career a reality, or we’re serving in our current corporate workplace, God has a plan and purpose for our lives. That includes our work, too!

Vocation

Vocation is more than an occupation. What does that mean?

Vocation combines the gifts and talents God’s given us with a divine purpose, calling, and sense of meaning. Each of us has a unique purpose in this life only we can fulfill. Vocation is just one way we live out part of the calling God has placed on our lives.

Vocation is the culmination of God’s calling specifically in our work. While we can work simply to obtain a paycheck, God desires so much more. From the very beginning, God tasked us to be good stewards of the work He’s given us to do.

Genesis 2:15 (NIV) states, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” This means that work was God’s design. Interesting, isn’t it? We aren’t meant to work simply to work—we’re called to take care in our work. Our work inherently has purpose and meaning.

What are vocations?

God equipped us with passions and gifts for a reason: to serve Him and His kingdom.

Rather than working aimlessly, vocation operates with the gifts we’ve been given and the skill sets we’ve developed. They can include everything from entrepreneurship, welding, and marketing, to homemaking, financial advising, and pet-sitting. It combines practical knowledge and training with God-given wisdom and peace.

Vocations don’t need to be in a religious or church setting, although they can be. We can serve wherever we are, just as we are, with our particular skills and knowledge.

Above all, our identity must be rooted in Christ and His finished work on the cross. It is important to remember that our work cannot be where we derive our sense of ultimate meaning.

When you’re building a house, you need a set of blueprints and the right toolset. Without the right materials and skills, the house will falter. It’s the same way with entrepreneurship. Whether you’re looking to start your own business, ministry, or online career, you need the right toolkit.

Entrepreneurship skills make all the difference, especially in such a competitive landscape. While it might seem daunting, developing a new skill set is within your reach.

Here are some specific areas you can sharpen and stretch.

Growth mindset

We often hear about the importance of growth and having a “new mindset,” but what is a growth mindset, and what does it actually do?

Having a growth mindset has to do with our thinking. For example, someone who views challenges as an opportunity for growth, rather than a setback, is demonstrating this viewpoint.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Individuals who exemplify this skill believe their abilities can be continually developed. Their circumstances, past thinking patterns, talent, or available resources don’t define them. Instead, those things are just at the start line in the race of life.

In contrast, a fixed mindset is a perspective that never changes. It believes that no matter what happens, some aspects will never be developed. Stepping out of your comfort zones, putting in effort and hard work, or attempting to move forward is fruitless.

However, if you’re already an entrepreneur or if you’re thinking about taking the jump to developing entrepreneurial skills—you’re likely off to a great start. You’re already thinking differently than others in your field. Continue to stretch those muscles by embracing failure, seeking opportunities for learning, and accepting feedback from others.

Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is a process or pattern of thinking oriented towards achieving attainable goals. Strategy involves careful planning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. Without strategic thinking, an organization falls by the wayside, and plans started without realizing all the potential outcomes.

Examples of strategic thinking always include a vision. Starting with a strong vision sets the tone for every other piece of the entrepreneurial puzzle. Next, you must evaluate the investment, opportunity, impact, and results of the decision.

Writing out each of these steps in a brainstorming session can be helpful when evaluating new opportunities. While it’s impossible to know exactly how every piece will turn out, or what the impact and results will be, it’s helpful to think through all potential scenarios.