What Are Habits? The 5 Being Habits And Why They Matter ✓ Solved

What are habits? What are the 5 being habits and why do they

What are habits? What are the 5 being habits and why do they matter? How does a leader cultivate and create practices that support and grow these 5 habits? Assigned Readings: Lead Like Jesus Part III: Chapters 12-16; Jesus on Leadership - Principle #3 Find Greatness in Service

Paper For Above Instructions

Habits are the repeatable patterns of thought and action that shape a leader’s daily behavior and, ultimately, organizational culture. In Christian leadership literature, particular emphasis is given to “habits of being”—internal dispositions that transform how leaders show up in their work with others. The readings for this assignment—Lead Like Jesus Part III (Chapters 12–16) and Jesus on Leadership: Principle #3 Find Greatness in Service—argue that leadership rooted in humility, service, learning, presence, and integrity yields sustainable influence far more than charisma or short-term results. This paper synthesizes those ideas, identifies the five being habits, explains why they matter for leaders, and outlines concrete practices to cultivate and sustain them (Blanchard & Hodges, 2008; Wilkes, 1992/2003).

The first essential being habit is humility. Humility is not self-effacement but accurate self-awareness, an understanding that leadership is a relational and service-oriented vocation rather than a platform for self-promotion. In Lead Like Jesus, humility is framed as choosing to serve rather than dominate, mirroring Jesus’ pattern of leadership through service (Blanchard & Hodges, 2008). Humility grounds a leader in teachability, enabling ongoing growth in competence and character. It also builds trust: teams follow leaders who acknowledge gaps, solicit input, and give credit away to others. The second habit is teachability. A teachable leader remains curious, welcomes feedback, and treats mistakes as learning opportunities. Teachability is central to a learning organization and aligns with servant leadership principles that emphasize growth of others alongside personal development (Northouse, 2019; Senge, 1990).

The third being habit is presence—being truly with people, attentive to their needs, and emotionally available. Presence requires time, focus, and active listening; it signals to others that their voices matter and that leadership is a relational practice. The readings link presence to trust-building and alliance formation, arguing that leaders who listen well, ask thoughtful questions, and resist rushing to problem-solve cultivate healthier teams and more durable collaboration (Wilkes, 1992/2003). The fourth habit is servant-hearted service. Service lies at the heart of Jesus-on-leadership models and is the practical expression of humility and presence. True service means prioritizing the development and well-being of others and leveraging one’s influence for the common good rather than personal gain (Wilkes, 1992/2003; Burns, 1978). The fifth habit is integrity or authenticity—consistent alignment between proclaimed values and daily actions, even when it is costly. Integrity sustains credibility and moral authority, essential for leaders who aim to model the standards they expect from their teams (Covey, 1989; Greenleaf, 1977).

Why do these five habits matter for leaders? First, they shape trust and legitimacy. Leaders who are humble, teachable, present, service-oriented, and authentic create predictable, reliable behavior that others can count on, even under pressure. This reliability undercuts cynicism and fosters loyalty. Second, they enable sustainable performance. A teachable leader who learns from feedback can adapt to new challenges more quickly; a servant-hearted leader who prioritizes others’ growth can build resilient teams that weather storms. Third, they align leadership practice with Christian convictions about the nature of leadership as service. The literature emphasizes that true leadership is not domination but stewardship—leading by elevating others, modeling moral courage, and facilitating collective flourishing (Greenleaf, 1977; Wilkes, 1992/2003). The Principle #3 Find Greatness in Service in Jesus on Leadership reinforces that service, not self-exaltation, defines enduring leadership influence (Wilkes, 1992/2003).

These insights connect to broader leadership theories about character, learning, and culture. Servant leadership, for instance, foregrounds service and the growth of others as central to leadership effectiveness, rather than focusing on power or control (Greenleaf, 1977). The habit of humility supports honest feedback and psychological safety, which are crucial for high-performing teams (Edmondson, 2018). The practice of presence resonates with contemporary research on authentic leadership, which finds that leaders who are genuine and relationally engaged foster trust, commitment, and ethical behavior (Avolio & Gardner, 2005). Likewise, cultivateable routines such as reflective practice, mentoring, and deliberate practice align with established models of leadership development that emphasize experiential learning and feedback loops (Kolb, 1984; Kouzes & Posner, 2012). The five beings also echo the classic call of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to cultivate character-based patterns that empower personal and organizational effectiveness (Covey, 1989).

How then can a leader cultivate and create practices that grow these five habits? First, establish deliberate spiritual and ethical disciplines that orient daily work toward service and integrity. This can include morning reflections on service opportunities, gratitude practices for colleagues, and regular commitments to acts of service within the organization (Blanchard & Hodges, 2008). Second, implement structured feedback and accountability mechanisms. A leader who invites feedback—especially from peers and direct reports—demonstrates teachability and reinforces safe space for growth (Northouse, 2019). Third, design routines that keep presence central: start meetings with listening prompts, check-ins on people’s well-being, and quiet time to consider others’ viewpoints before problem-solving (Wilkes, 1992/2003). Fourth, embed servant leadership in performance conversations and rewards; recognize service to others and mentorship as core success criteria rather than mere outcomes (Burns, 1978; Greenleaf, 1977). Fifth, model integrity through transparent decision-making, consistent values, and accountability for one’s mistakes. When leaders choose consistency over expediency, they reinforce a culture in which doing what is right takes precedence over expedient gains (Covey, 1989).

Practical steps to enact these habits include a) creating a personal leadership charter that articulates the five being habits and concrete behaviors, b) scheduling regular “habits reviews” to assess alignment of actions with values, c) pairing with a mentor or accountability partner to reinforce feedback and growth, d) integrating service experiences into team projects to demonstrate servant leadership, and e) cultivating an organizational culture that frames learning as ongoing, collaborative, and value-driven (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). The leitmotif across the readings is that leadership is most powerful when it is less about the leader’s stature and more about the quality of relationships leaders cultivate through humble, teachable, and service-oriented presence (Blanchard & Hodges, 2008; Wilkes, 1992/2003).

In summary, the five being habits—humility, teachability, presence, servant-hearted service, and integrity—offer a coherent framework for leadership that aligns with Jesus-centered principles and organizational effectiveness. By shaping daily practices around these dispositions, leaders can foster trust, learning, and durable performance. The readings argue that greatness in leadership emerges not from controlling others but from serving them, listening deeply, and modeling consistent character under real-world pressure (Wilkes, 1992/2003; Blanchard & Hodges, 2008). This reframing of leadership as a vocation of service, anchored in spiritual and relational practices, provides a robust foundation for leaders who aim to influence with both moral clarity and practical wisdom (Northouse, 2019; Covey, 1989).

References

1. Blanchard, K., & Hodges, P. (2008). Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson.
2. Wilkes, C. G. (1992/2003). Jesus on Leadership: Principle #3 Find Greatness in Service. Regal Books.
3. Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.
4. Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist Press.
5. Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.
6. Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications.
7. Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization. Doubleday.
8. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
9. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The Leadership Challenge. Jossey-Bass.
10. Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Harvard Business Press.