Day 1 – The wise leader develops both short range and long range plans. Read Genesis 3:15.

Adam and Eve had made a decision to disobey a direct command from God and eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In their shame, they confessed their sin to God and God pronounced judgment for their act of direct defiance. Some of God’s judgments were fulfilled immediately and some would be fulfilled in the future.

Effective leaders are not aloof but connect with the people in their sphere of influence. Read John 4:1-26.

Do you have trouble connecting with your team? John Maxwell discusses what he calls “The Law of Connection” from this passage where Jesus connects with a woman from Samaria and changes an entire city.

We don’t even know her name. Other Jews wouldn’t even speak with her. Yet because Jesus was different, He spoke with this Samaritan woman – a snubbed gender within a despised race. Through this personal connection, God reached an entire city. We learn at least eight principles from Jesus’ leadership in John 4:

1. Leaders initiate contact (vv1-7). Jesus spoke first. He didn’t isolate Himself even from “undesirables.”
2. Leaders establish common ground (vv. 7-8). He connected with her about a familiar interest: water.
3.  Leaders listen and allow others to speak (v. 9). He knew people like to hear their own voices most of all.
4. Leaders arouse interest (v10-15). Jesus built a verbal bridge by making her thirsty for something more than water.
5. Leaders take others only so far as they are ready to go (vv. 16-19). Jesus knew He mustn’t go too far. He said enough to make her hungry for more.
6. Leaders accept others where they are (vv17, 18). Jesus knew her lifestyle, but never condemned her for it.
7. Leaders stick with the key issues (vv. 20-24). He didn’t allow her to get distracted. He wouldn’t divert the focus from the real issue.
8. Leaders communicate issues directly and simply (vv. 25-26). Jesus revealed His identity in clear and simple terms.

In your everyday leadership style do you tend to avoid people or connect with people? Jesus, the only perfect leader to ever live, modeled a leader that connected – even with a person others avoided at all costs.

The truly successful leader will train their team to take over without missing a beat when something happen to them. Read Luke 24:46-49.

Jesus had accomplished His assignment on earth and was about to return to heaven where He would reside until His promised return at the end of the age. Even though Jesus had completed His assignment there was a whole world of people in His generation and all the generations to follow who still needed to know that Jesus had made reconciliation with God for the human sin condition. It was to fulfill this ongoing part of His mission that Jesus trained a team that could take over and carry His message to their generation and future generations.

The effective leader will establish clear guidelines, and then delegate both responsibility and authority to their team. Read Luke 9:1-6, 10.

Jesus had several hundred very dedicated followers. Many of them traveled with Him wherever He went, cared for His needs, and gave Him financial support. From among these several hundred, Jesus selected twelve individuals, who we know today as Apostles, for more in depth mentoring and special assignments. As part of the training of the twelve He gave them some on-the-job training. He sent them out on a mission to go from village to village to preach the gospel and confirm their authority to do so by healing the sick and casting out demons.

Effective leaders assume responsibility for their team’s wellbeing even when their personal life is putting them under enormous pressure. Read Mark 14:32-42.

Jesus is in Jerusalem just prior to His crucifixion. Jesus has eaten His last meal with His disciples and they have gone outside the city walls to spend the night outdoors in a garden known as Gethsemane. Jesus was aware it was His time to become the sacrificial Lamb of God and He was preparing Himself for His coming death at the hands of the religious leaders and the Roman soldiers. Jesus took a few of His closest friends a short distance from the other disciples and asked them to watch and pray with Him. Verse 33 says, “He began to be deeply distressed and troubled.” Luke 22:44 tells us that His perspiration became drops of blood. His personal situation made Him vulnerable to fear and discouragement. He was counting on His friends for support.