If telling worked, then no mom on the planet would ever say, "I’m not going to tell you again!" If telling really worked, we wouldn’t have to do it so often. But the truth is that telling is one of the least effective behaviors a leader can engage in.
If we want to be better leaders, then we have to learn to teach. We must figure out how to communicate what our teams need to know in a way that inspires them to grow as leaders. When you're able to nail this, you'll start to see your organization grow and your team thrive.
The problem with telling is that it rarely leads to transformation, and great leadership requires transformation. Telling is about giving instructions, hoping to align a team.
Teaching, on the other hand, is a different kind of investment. When we teach, we’re not just giving instructions—we’re transferring a behavior we own and understand into the life of someone else. Whether it’s how to make a bed or how to lead a meeting, true teaching passes along not just knowledge, but a way of being. Teaching inspires people to action and rallies them behind a common vision.
That’s what Jesus did with his disciples. That’s what the disciples did with the early church. And it’s what effective leaders still do today.
Visit any school campus, and one thing quickly becomes clear: some classrooms are buzzing with energy and excitement, while others remain quiet, resigned, and unengaged. The contrast raises an important question—what makes the difference?
A quick glance from the hallway reveals much about the teachers leading these rooms.
In some classrooms, teachers are actively teaching. These spaces are full of life, with students clearly engaged. These teachers connect, explain, model, and demonstrate genuine care for their students.
In contrast, other classrooms are led by teachers who are simply telling. These "sit and get" environments feel dull and lifeless, often marked by a monotonous tone from a disengaged leader. The catastrophic assumption these tellers make is that information alone will spark change—but that simply isn’t true.
Telling is self-centered. It’s about getting your point across.
Teaching is others-centered. It’s about making sure the other person actually gets it.
Great teachers—and great leaders—focus on comprehension, not just presentation. And there are four key distinctions that make for an effective teacher leader.
Your team needs someone who will teach them how to lead, how to serve, how to make wise decisions, and how to grow.
If you want a team that outperforms expectations, don't just tell them what to do, teach them how do it. If you want your team to collaborate with joy, don't tell them everything is ok and avoid conflict. Teach them how to engage in healthy relationships and resolve conflict quickly. If you want to rally your team around a common mission, don’t just tell them where you want them to go, teach them how you'll get there and why it's important that you do. Let your leadership be the lesson they never forget.
That’s what Jesus did.

If you’re ready to embrace the kind of leadership that transforms your team, culture, and calling, I invite you to get a copy of my new book, Easy to Follow. In it, I walk through the core behaviors Jesus modeled and how you can teach—not tell—your team to lead like Him.
Easy to Follow launches in October, but you can pre-order your copy today.
Some content taken from Easy to Follow: Trading Toxic Leadership for the Way of Jesus by Lyle Wells and Kat Armstrong. Copyright © 2025. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.
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