A leader’s vision must always be credible—in the good times and when things get difficult. Read Mark 8:31-33.

Throughout His ministry Jesus inspired His team with His vision for both the present and the future. He consistently described the character and conduct that would define the citizens of the Kingdom of God. His vision energized His team to leave everything they had to follow Him. His team applied the skills, talents, and resources acquired over a lifetime to see Jesus’ vision become a reality. They believed that if Jesus’ vision became a reality the world would be a more desirable place. Even when Jesus talked about His death and the very difficult things that lay ahead for Him, He did it as part of His overall vision.

Effective leaders lead with consistency even when their personal life or work environment lacks structure and organization. Read Proverbs 14:4.

King Solomon of Israel, who wrote most of the book of Proverbs, lived in an agrarian society. Several of his proverbs lose their profound meaning when read by leaders three or four generations away from the land. Proverbs 14:4 talks about an ox and an empty or clean manger, etc. and is not instantly viewed as a proverb that would shape a leader’s thinking or actions. When restated in today’s leadership language it has a profound point; “An empty barn or stable (or business) stays clean but there is no income from an empty stable so get used to working in less than ideal situations.”

Effective leaders communicate using verbal and body language and everything else in their being. Read Psalm 19:1-6.

God is not only the ultimate leader but also the ultimate communicator. Often God uses language or vision to communicate to His people. There are also times when God uses miraculous signs or coincidence in timing or His written Word to get our attention and deliver a message that we understand and are expected to act upon. In Psalm 19:1-6 God uses another part of His nature to communicate in a general but very effective way. God uses the power, order and beauty of nature. Without speech or other forms of language the stars point beyond themselves to the God who created and sustains them. God uses His invisible power to communicate His divine nature.

Effective leaders strive to develop self-discipline that will allow them to maintain perspective in the face of changing situations. Read Job 1:1-22.

During the four years I spent in the Marine Corp there was constant training to maintain self-discipline. The desired outcome of the training was to keep us safe and functioning at a high level whether under fire, in a situation that looked like we would surely die, or on liberty in a city or foreign port where drugs and prostitution were rampant. When a Marine had self-discipline the chances of victory over the changing situation increased exponentially.

Even the most fair, consistent leaders will have situations when jealousy among their teammates changes the dynamic of their team. When a leader has been fair and consistent in their actions toward the team, they can generally restore order by fair and just application of the established practices, policies, and procedures. If the proper team is in place, the team order is restored because consistent behavior and fairness cannot easily be questioned without someone openly showing greed or selfishness that sets them apart as the culprit. However, add any inconsistent behavior on the part of the leader and the situation has the potential to be blown out of proportion and teammates will react in ways that destroy team unity. Read 2 Samuel 19:9-20 and 19:38-20:2.

Absalom, the king’s son who led the rebellion against David, was dead and it was obvious to all the tribes of Israel that David was still God’s choice as king and firmly in a position of power. The tribes that had supported Absalom knew they needed to do something to demonstrate loyalty to David or face potential retaliation for their rebellion so they determined to send a delegation to escort the king from exile back to the palace in Jerusalem. When David heard about the intentions of the rebellious tribes he sent word to leaders of Judah, his tribe, and suggested they join the others in escorting him back to the capitol.