Translating it into modern day management speak though it seems to me as if Jesus is acting as the leader to his subordinates. A leader’s role is not only to lead those under his (or her) command but also to provide for them all that they need to do their jobs. If you turn a typical organisation chart (a hierarchy with director at the top and workers at the bottom) on it’s head you have all the leaders at different levels who are working solely to provide those people at the front end with the tools that they need.

In effect Jesus is saying that the role of a leader is to serve others and not to be served. The feet washing is symbolic. Quite how “you also ought to wash one another’s feet” fits into that I’m not sure. Perhaps he envisioned a society where everyone serves everyone else equally. A society with no hierarchies but a flat structure.

From a business point of view flat structured organisations are often the preserve of highly creative or radical thinkers. IT or design firms often make use of them and are very dynamic as a result. You have to have a lot of trust in everyone else’s abilities though as the usual checks and balances of hierarchical responsibility is absent.

How’d I do? Is it close enough?

Of course, on the other hand, perhaps I could spend a day or so of calling everyone on the blogosphere ‘Darla.’ That might get it out of my system. Might be fun, too.

What do you think?