The Table: 5 Principles for Transformational Leadership
Have you ever felt like you’re leading, but no one is following? You’ve got the vision, the drive, the work ethic — yet the people around you seem disconnected, unmotivated, or just going through the motions.
The problem? Leadership isn’t about getting people to follow you — it’s about feeding them something they can’t get anywhere else.
Great leaders don’t just give orders; they create an environment where people grow, thrive, and step into their purpose. Whether you’re leading a business, a church, a team, or a family, your job is to set the Table and invite others to experience something greater than themselves.
Here are five leadership principles that will transform the way you lead.
1. Check the Menu – Clarity Fuels the Mission
A great restaurant starts with a clear menu — a well-thought-out selection of dishes designed to serve and satisfy. Leadership works the same way.
What’s on your leadership menu? If you don’t know what you’re serving, how will people know what they’re coming to The Table for?
A strong leader articulates vision so clearly that people can’t miss it. Without clarity, confusion takes over, and people drift.
The Question to Ask:
Check the menu. Is your vision clear and compelling?
If not, it’s time to simplify and clarify. A muddy vision leads to a messy mission.
2. Check the Venue – Culture Sets the Table
You’ve probably been to a restaurant where the food was great, but the atmosphere was terrible — poor service, bad attitudes, or a lack of attention to detail. No matter how good the menu is, the experience drives people away.
The same is true in leadership. Your vision may be solid, but if your culture is toxic, unmotivating, or lifeless, people won’t stick around.
A great leader inspects what they expect. They set the culture by how they carry themselves, how they communicate, and how they treat people.
The Question to Ask:
Check the venue. Does your leadership atmosphere inspire excellence?
If people aren’t thriving under your leadership, don’t blame the guests — check the kitchen.
3. Check the Chairs - Are You Chair Aware?
At The Table, there are three chairs:
- Chair One: The Consumer: They’re hungry for what you have to offer, even if they don’t know it yet.
- Chair Two: The Contributor: They’ve bought into the vision, but they’re still growing and need guidance.
- Chair Three: The Carrier of the Vision: They aren’t just showing up — they’re stepping up, leading, and serving.
Transformational leaders are Chair Aware — they recognize where people are in their journey and help them move forward. The problem? Too many leaders treat everyone the same instead of leading them based on where they are.
The Question to Ask:
Check the chairs. Are you Chair Aware?
Leadership isn’t just about filling the seats — it’s about moving people from one chair to the next.
4. Check the Highchairs – Don’t Let People Stay in the Highchair
At every Table, there’s a highchair — for babies. At first, it’s necessary. But if you’ve got a 17-year-old still sitting in a highchair, expecting to be spoon-fed, there’s a problem.
Some leaders enable dependency instead of developing maturity. They make things comfortable for people instead of challenging them to grow.
Growth requires challenge. Leadership isn’t about keeping people happy — it’s about helping them mature.
The Question to Ask:
Check the highchairs. Are you developing leaders or enabling dependency?
If you want to lead well, you must help people move from being served to serving others.
5. Check Your Example – Follow the Ultimate Leader, Jesus
At The Table, leadership isn’t about position — it’s about preparation, presentation, and purpose. Great leaders don’t just sit at The Table — they serve at it.
The ultimate model? Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t just the CEO of the Universe — He was the Dude with the Food. He didn’t just sit back and expect people to come to Him. He stepped out, reached people where they were, and invited them in.
He led like The Table teaches:
- He set the vision (“The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” – Luke 19:10).
- He crafted the menu (offering the Bread of Life instead of empty religion).
- He prepared the venue (welcoming the sinner, the outcast, the seeker).
- And He focused on Chair One (always making room for those who had never been invited before).
But Jesus didn’t just serve food — He became the food.
The Question to Ask:
Check your example. Are you leading like Jesus, serving instead of sitting?
At The Table, the best leaders aren’t just sitting — they’re serving. They’re constantly moving, checking the chairs, inviting more people in, and ensuring that what’s being served leads to transformation, not just information.
What’s the Next Step?
Check the menu. Is your vision clear and compelling?
Check the venue. Does your leadership atmosphere inspire excellence?
Check the chairs. Are you Chair Aware?
Check the high chairs. Are you developing leaders or enabling dependency?
Check your example. Are you leading like Jesus, serving instead of sitting?
The best leaders don’t just build teams. They build a Table where people find vision, growth, and purpose. So, who’s at your Table? And what are you feeding them? Now, it’s time to lead. Pull up a chair.