The Humility Required to Lead Like Jesus
The Humility Required to Lead Like Jesus
Biblical Leadership for Christian Women Who Want to Make a Lasting Impact
Humility is an attribute of a strong leader.
Have you ever thought about that?
If someone asked you to list the qualities of a great leader, humility might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Many people think leadership requires boldness, confidence, or charisma.
But according to Scripture—and the example of Jesus—humility is essential for strong leadership. Without humility, you may lead for a season, but you won’t lead with lasting impact.
If you truly want to lead like Jesus and influence others for the Kingdom, humility must become part of your leadership foundation.
Listen to the Podcast Episode
This article is based on Episode 223 of the Confident Christian Influence Podcast.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
What Humility Really Means in Leadership
Leadership expert John Maxwell defines humility this way:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
That definition changes everything.
Humility does not mean putting yourself down or believing you don’t matter. It simply means your focus shifts from yourself to others.
Let’s pause for a moment and do a little heart check.
How often do your thoughts revolve around:
How something affected you
Whether something felt fair
How someone treated you
Whether you were recognized
When our thoughts constantly circle back to ourselves, it becomes difficult to lead others well.
Humility redirects our attention outward.
It helps us see the people around us and intentionally influence them through:
encouragement
service
teaching
generosity
leadership
That’s exactly how Jesus led.
The Biblical Model of Humility
Philippians 2:3 tells us:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
Many of us learned the acronym JOY as children:
J – Jesus first
O – Others next
Y – Yourself last
This doesn’t mean ignoring your needs or neglecting your health.
It simply means our leadership becomes others-focused rather than self-focused.
And that is where real influence begins.
Why Humility Is Essential for Christian Leadership
Humility Is the Catalyst for Growth
It takes humility to admit we still have room to grow.
None of us have arrived. None of us are perfect like Jesus.
Humility allows us to say:
I need to read that book.
I need to learn from someone else.
I need to take that course.
Growth begins when we are humble enough to admit we still have something to learn.
Humility Balances Confidence
Confident Christian leadership requires both confidence and humility.
Confidence helps you step forward in obedience to God.
Humility helps you say:
“That’s not my area of expertise.”
“I don’t know the answer yet.”
“Let me research that and get back to you.”
Strong leaders are secure enough to acknowledge their weaknesses.
Humility Requires a Teachable Spirit
A humble leader stays teachable.
Instead of believing we are the expert in every situation, we remain open to:
new ideas
different approaches
feedback from others
Sometimes feedback is uncomfortable.
But often feedback is actually a form of love.
Someone cared enough to step out of their comfort zone and tell you the truth.
A humble leader reflects on that feedback and asks:
“Lord, what do you want me to learn from this?”
Join the Lead Like Jesus Workshop
If you feel called to lead but struggle with clarity, confidence, or knowing your next step, I want to personally invite you to something special.
I’m hosting an upcoming Lead Like Jesus Workshop designed specifically for Christian women who feel called to influence others but want to lead with greater purpose and confidence.
Inside the workshop, we will talk about how to:
• Gain clarity about how God wants to use you
• Strengthen your leadership foundation
• Lead with humility and confidence like Jesus
• Influence the people around you at work, at home, and in your community
This workshop will help you shift from simply showing up to leading with intentional impact.
👉 Save your seat here:
(Insert your workshop link)
Humility Is the Antidote to Pride
The Bible speaks strongly about pride.
But pride doesn’t only show up as arrogance.
It can also look like:
self-promotion
self-obsession
self-criticism
believing you’re not good enough to lead
Both extremes keep our attention on ourselves.
Humility frees us to focus on God’s mission instead of our image.
Humility Doesn’t Seek Credit
One of the clearest signs of humility is this:
You don’t need recognition.
God sees your work.
God sees your service.
If our motive for leading is applause or validation, the impact will always be shallow.
True leadership serves for the glory of the Lord.
Humility Admits Mistakes
A strong leader is:
big enough to admit mistakes
smart enough to learn from them
strong enough to correct them
Accountability is not weakness.
It’s leadership maturity.
A Powerful Example of Leadership Humility
Many years ago I worked at a company in Memphis called Smith & Nephew. The president at the time was leading a global organization.
One day I was struggling to transcribe a complicated medical recording.
After several people couldn’t help me, he happened to walk by.
When I explained the problem, this global company president got down on his knees beside my desk, put on the headset, and helped me finish the transcription.
I will never forget that moment.
That is humility.
And that is exactly the kind of leadership Jesus modeled.
Practical Ways to Lead with Humility
If you want to lead like Jesus, humility will show up in everyday actions.
Serve others
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. True leaders are not above serving.
Admit when you don’t know
It takes strength to say, “I don’t have the answer yet.”
Listen more than you speak
Humble leaders value others’ ideas and perspectives.
Empower the people around you
Encourage your team and acknowledge their contributions.
Step outside your comfort zone
Humility values people more than personal comfort.
The Heart of Humble Leadership
Ultimately, humility requires surrender.
We ask God:
What do You want me to say?
How do You want me to lead?
Who do You want me to influence?
When we surrender our leadership to God, something powerful happens.
Humility transforms leadership from:
self-serving power → sacrificial influence
It builds trust.
It strengthens relationships.
It creates healthy teams.
And most importantly…
It allows us to lead like Jesus.
Ready to Grow as a Leader?
If this message resonates with you, I would love for you to join me inside the Lead Like Jesus Workshop.
This workshop will help you gain clarity, strengthen your leadership foundation, and confidently influence others with Christ-centered leadership.
👉 Reserve your seat here:
(Insert workshop registration link)
I cannot wait to see you there.
About Pam Pegram
Pam Pegram is a Christian leadership and personal growth coach, speaker, and host of the Confident Christian Influence Podcast. She helps Christian women who feel called to leadership step into their God-given purpose with clarity, confidence, and intentional influence.
Through her coaching, speaking, podcast, and workshops, Pam equips women to lead like Jesus and make a lasting impact in their workplace, community, and home.
👉 Listen to the Confident Christian Influence Podcast
👉 Learn more at pampegram.com