Do you have a visionary problem solver on your team? (117-5)

Effective leaders have a vision for their destination before a project begins and they know the strengths of their team to achieve that vision. Read Nehemiah 1:1-3:32.

The Jewish people had returned from exile and had been living in Judah for about 80 years. The temple had been rebuilt and worship restored; Ezra the priest had returned approximately four years earlier and brought religious revival to the people and in God’s timetable, it was time for Jerusalem, the city housing His temple, to have the walls rebuilt and the people’s trust in Him renewed. God chose Nehemiah, the Persian King’s cupbearer for the job. God gave Nehemiah the desired result before he allowed him to start the project.

Nehemiah was a leader that had the ability to be a visionary problem solver. The people in Jerusalem had desired the walls to be in place for 80 years. It wasn’t a lack of desire that kept them in disrepair as much as it was lack of vision to solve the problems that kept the walls in heaps of rubble. Nehemiah had fasted and prayed for four months and had a vision for solving the problems and rebuilding the walls even though he had never been to Jerusalem.

During the actual construction of the walls new problems came to light that could have derailed Nehemiah’s plan but a visionary problem-solving leader focuses on the destination and makes mid-course adjustments to solve the problem and move on rather than focusing exclusively on the problem.

Every team needs visionary problem solvers—leaders that can keep them focused on the end result and lead the team through the challenges involved in getting wheels under the vision. It was God’s vision for Jerusalem to be the center of worship directed toward Him. God selected Nehemiah to unify the people and rebuild the walls because he had his heart right toward Him and had the leadership gift of being a visionary problem solver. Nehemiah heard the desired outcome from God during his four months of fasting and praying and had the gifting to lead the people to complete the project.

Do you have a visionary problem solver on your team? Have you clearly established the desired outcome so they know the destination? Are they a heart match and a spirit match so they can be trusted not to modify your desired outcome? Have you given them the freedom to get wheels under the vision or are you managing them by giving them lists of things to do? Once God chose Nehemiah and gave him the “what” and “why” of the wall project in Jerusalem, He turned Nehemiah loose to use his gifts to complete the project. Wise leaders equip visionary problem solvers, establish checkpoints along the way and then turn them loose to move the team to the desired outcome.

Matthew 9:8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.