A strong vision for the future gives hope. Read Isaiah 4:2-6.

It has been said that without a vision the people will perish. Isaiah had previously given messages to the residents of Judah concerning their wickedness and rebellion against God leaving them little hope. Because of their wickedness Judah and Jerusalem would suffer God’s discipline. The people desperately needed to hear that there was also a vision for the future that brought hope following the judgment. Isaiah 4 illustrates an extraordinary vision of the future of the Jewish people after a time of hardship.

Leaders are locked into time and space and can’t fully appreciate when time won’t be all consuming and all important. Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-11.

Years ago Bob Dylan popularized a song from Ecclesiastes 3 stressing the preciousness of time as a resource. Leaders will all have to come to grips with the truth that they simply won’t have enough time on this planet to accomplish all of what they are capable of doing or that they have a desire to do. The opportunities and circumstances on earth can never satisfy our deepest longings because God “set eternity in (our) hearts” (v. 11).

A sure way for a leader to fail is to drive away the members of their team that are doing good work. Read Proverbs 17:26.

It sounds crazy to think any leader would not embrace and promote quality individuals who are effective at their job and who desperately want to continue in their service to the organization. Yet, everyday, trustworthy individuals who are excellent team members are being forced to seek other employment by leaders in organizations that claim to utilize godly principles to manage their business. The reason leaders are so short-sighted and harm good people for doing good work are numerous but all of them have their root in arrogance, pride or need for self gratification or personal recognition.

Effective leaders find ways to refresh the spirit of those on their team. Read Proverbs 17:22.

Few functions of a leader are more important than keeping hope alive on their team. God loves us so much that He is pleased to encourage us over and over in His word; many of His promises are specifically designed to encourage us. According to Proverbs 17:22, there is even a relationship between being encouraged and our physical health. I like the way the Living Bible paraphrased Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.”

To be an effective over the long haul, a leader must be an encourager. Read Proverbs 12:25.

In the rough-and-tumble circumstances of life, members of your team will receive blows that will leave them emotionally battered, drained of their joy and grasping for a reason to hold on let alone do their best. During these times few functions a leader performs are more important than keeping hope alive.