Every competent leader knows the importance of a team for counsel and support. Read Proverbs 15:22.

Teams are comprised of positional specialists. Team members are recruited because of their specific ability and their expected contribution. With a properly assembled team, the individual strengths of the team members combine to produce an outcome which no individual team member could have produced. Read more »

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Proverbs 9:10.

A text note in Zondervan’s Leadership Bible states, “Leaders are effective to the extent they can gather, interpret, understand and apply good information. The processes cannot function fully when God’s power and sovereignty are not given appropriate respect. This verse tells us that nothing has higher priority for understanding reality and acting on it than standing in awe of Almighty God.” Read more »

Leadership begins with a leader’s thoughts even before their actions. When a leader’s mind and attitude are right, they position themselves to lead well. Read Proverbs 8:1-36.

Solomon uses language in Proverbs 8 that is related to developing an exceptional skill but when translated into English the word wisdom is used. Not all leaders think about wisdom as a character trait that needs to be carefully cultivated just as they would develop and cultivate a skill. Certainly, wisdom often comes as the result of long experience but the leader who gains wisdom by making poor decisions and learning from them is farther behind than the leader who seeks the right kind of wisdom from the start. Read more »

Leaders have integrity when their words match their actions. Many leaders have diluted or destroyed their effectiveness through immorality. Read Proverbs 5:1-23.

My mom had a thousand sayings. One I remember well was spoken after I discovered mom doing something I was forbidden to do (which didn’t happen often). Mom said, “Son, do what I say not what I do.” Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, who was given wisdom directly from God that no other leader was given before him, wrote Proverbs 5. He did not hold back when it came to warning his people about adultery. He is so strong as to say in verse 21, “For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths.” Yet when Solomon’s life is examined he didn’t match his actions with his words. Read more »

Principle-centered leadership that flows from a base of wisdom and understanding gives a leader a lot more than mere accomplishment against the established objectives. Read Proverbs 4:20-27.

Most leaders seek to develop their leadership skills to become better at their job and more effective in their home. They want to limit mistakes, meet stated objectives, keep projects on time and budget, be an effective manager and good role model for their team, and gain the respect of their peers, supervisors and families. Leaders work hard to be culturally relevant with God’s timeless truths. These are all excellent reasons to develop as a leader but according to Proverbs 4 the benefits go way beyond effectiveness. Read more »