Management by objective (MBO) is the approach to leadership where leaders engage subordinates in planning a project and setting objectives. The Bible book of Genesis 1:27 explains a similar event where God as the leader engaged his existing creatures to carry out some activities. Let us deduce it.
What does Genesis 1:27 state?
According to Genesis 1:27, it was explained that God was telling his intelligent creatures, probably the angels, to join him in creating man. God would have decided it on his own and continued the process by instructing the angels on what to do.
But he did otherwise, he engaged His subordinates to do so. He could have commanded the angels in his plans to make man. So that they simply perform their part in attaining the objective. But this was not the case. The Bible shows an example of the practical application of management by objective.
How does management by objective work?
Leaders set goals they want to achieve for a project or programme. Then they engage subordinates to explain their input on how to achieve the leader’s objectives. When the project begins, the leader monitors the input of the subordinates.
Their followers also provide feedback with regard to their input. Adjustments are made when there are errors while the project continues. At the end, everyone attained the objective of the project.
The Bible book of Genesis 1:27 has a similar practical guide. God has an objective. That is, let us make man in our image and likeness. He did not enforce the objective on the angels. He let them know so that they could come up with their input to attain the goal. Therefore, he practised management by objective.
This is why he is letting them know about it. The point here is that God is all-powerful, and can make man without informing the subordinates. But, He didn’t do so! He let them know his plan for a new project.
Leaders can imitate Genesis 1:27
Leaders can imitate this. They should learn to engage employees with a planned goal. So that, their subordinates can provide their input to it before the project begins. To achieve this, the following can be applied.
Instead of giving orders and expecting results from subordinates, business leaders should ensure that employees understand the task they want to achieve.
They can also involve their followers in the planning of the objectives and projects to be undertaken. This will help the subordinates know their role in the engagement. Thereby reducing failures.
Genesis 1:27 shows that leadership can be learnt from the Bible. This article is the beginning of a series of articles explaining leadership based on the Bible.