One of the most fundamental leadership truths is that your team will do what they see you model. Read Ezra 9:1-10:44.

After a journey of several months Ezra and the other Jewish exiles arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon. Their first acts were to be accountable to the local officials for the money and gifts they had been given for the city and temple and then to make proper offerings to God at the temple for a safe trip and for His favor. Within just a few days of viewing Ezra’s leadership, knowing Ezra was a teacher of the law and seeing his dedication to give offerings and make sacrifices some of the leaders approached Ezra with a problem. Those most responsible for religious leadership, the priests and Levites, had not kept God’s law to stay separate from those who worshiped false gods and had actually taken pagan wives and allowed their sons to marry women who worshiped false gods.

It is possible for a leader to have most areas of their leadership life squared away, be successful in virtually everything they touch and still have one area continually out of control. Wise leaders understand that even allowing one area to be out of control will influence their legacy. Read 2 Chronicles 17-20.

King Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king of Judah and reigned in Jerusalem for 25 years. For the most part Jehoshaphat was an outstanding godly leader. Second Chronicles tells us that Jehoshaphat sought the Lord in virtually all areas of his life, had great wealth and honor, became more and more powerful and even the arch enemy of Judah, the Philistines, brought Jehoshaphat gifts and were at peace with him.

A fact that we all know but never really want to speak out loud is that sometimes selfish, angry, bullies become leaders in positions of authority. Read 1 Kings 19:1-2 and 1 Kings 21.

King Ahab of Israel married Jezebel, daughter of the King of Tyre. To put it mildly, Jezebel was not the kind of woman one would feel comfortable taking home to meet mother. This wicked queen was a power-hungry, abusive, scary woman. To get the complete picture of this leader read 1 Kings 16-21 and 2 Kings 9 but the assigned passages will give a quick overview.

During my time in the Marine Corp I had a few opportunities to see how one man’s courage could lift the courage of every man in the unit to their level of courage. Read 1 Samuel 7:1-17.

The notes in The Maxwell Leadership Bible discuss Samuel’s Influence: One Person With Courage Makes a Majority:

The issue of impartial leadership is critical for effective leadership. It is natural to want family or good friends in our leadership world but there are some potential problems leaders should take into consideration. Read 1 Samuel 2:12-17 and 22-36.

In The Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell writes about Eli’s Leadership: Success as a Priest, Not as a Parent.