Are you practicing the basics of leadership? (72-1)

The book of Deuteronomy tells the story of a leader yearning to finish the work he had begun. Moses casts the vision over and over, hoping the Hebrew people will catch sight of the total picture – the picture that God did not want to merely free them from slavery in Egypt, but to deliver them into the Promised Land. The book also conveys a leader’s love for his people. Even though he lost his chance to enter the land with them, he patiently interceded for them, trying to lead them into the obedient state that would enable them to inherit the land and finish the conquest. Read Deuteronomy 1 and review the rest of the book of Deuteronomy.

Chapter 1 contains a very basic outline for all leaders:

• Clearly see and communicate the vision – verses 6-8.
• Share the load and delegate the responsibility and authority – verses 9-14.
• Carefully select a diverse leadership team that has godly core values – verse 15.
• Give your leadership team structure and organization – verses 16-18.

The Maxwell Leadership Bible has leadership notes on Moses’ leadership as displayed in the Book of Deuteronomy. It lists the following basic lessons in leadership we can learn from Moses:

• Develop your core values and beliefs before taking new territory.
• Leadership must be proactive, not reactive.
• Activity does not equal accomplishment.
• Leaders must share the benefits of buying into the vision.
• Leaders must constantly remind the people of the vision.
• One person with courage makes a majority.
• The leader must intercede for the people.
• Leaders must provide for the future, even when they don’t get to experience it.

God put Moses through a life-long leadership training program and Moses needed the experiences of a lifetime to lead the Hebrew nation. Effective leaders utilize all their previous life experiences to accomplish God’s plan for their life as a leader.

Write one “application” sentence for your leadership from one of the basic lessons in leadership listed above.