Effective leaders learn from their character failures. Read Daniel 4:17, 24-25, 27, and 36-37.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was the most powerful leader in the known world and he knew it. God had established his position to bring His judgment on Judah and several other nations, but had not authorized his values that included extreme brutality or his personal pride. God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream to help him understand the source of power and authority. God even sent His servant Daniel to interpret his dream and clearly explain that God wanted him to change his inner most beliefs so that his behavior could change. The dream got Nebuchadnezzar’s attention and he was a changed man for awhile, but change is only permanent when the value or truth behind the behavior is changed.

Nebuchadnezzar was frightened by his dream but that fear wasn’t sufficient to change his inner-deeper-secret beliefs concerning his personal values. According to verse 29, “Twelve months later… he said, ‘Is not this the great Babylon I have built as a royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?’” The temporary changes from the fear caused by the dream didn’t last and Nebuchadnezzar fell back into old attitudes.

Any leader who doesn’t learn from failure won’t lead effectively for very long but if they merely correct a behavior that led to the failure and don’t deal with the core truth behind the behavior, they have only completed part of the learning process. Nebuchadnezzar needed to deal with both his proud behavior and his self-honoring values that caused the behavior. Because Nebuchadnezzar refused to heed God’s warning about pride, God threw him into seven years of mental illness and taught him the value of humility. That lesson caused Nebuchadnezzar to change his deepest core truths concerning where power and influence came from and how he was to use his power.

Leadership requires change and growth. Often leaders see the needed change and start the process of change, but sustaining change can be much more difficult. The reason change is difficult to sustain, like Nebuchadnezzar in today’s scripture, once the temporary stimulus for change is forgotten the core truth returns to dominate attitudes and behavior. To make change permanent the core truth driving the behavior must change.

Have you made several attempts to change destructive behavior but each time returned to the old behavior? Have you made promises to yourself and others that you consistently have broken and feel like there is no choice but to live with the shame of these broken promises? Are you afraid to even consider another run at making a change you know would be good for your team and family? Take courage, real change is possible. Wise leaders examine the definitions and attitudes that let them think their destructive behavior is acceptable. They adjust the deeply held internal truths that authorized them to live with the problematic behavior. Nebuchadnezzar did, there is a great end to the story in verses 36-37.

Successful leaders tell themselves the truth and gain perspective when situations and emotions are volatile. Read Psalm 57:1-11.

King Saul of Israel had openly violated instructions from God so God’s prophet Samuel was instructed to anoint a man to serve as king who was not in the lineage of Saul. Samuel anointed David, a shepherd working on his father’s farm to be the new king of Israel when David was about 15 years old. It was shortly after David was anointed to be the future king that we find the well known story of the boy David facing the Philistine giant Goliath in a military battle with David emerging victorious having used only a sling shot as a weapon.

Leadership by its very nature requires action, and taking action requires courage. Courage is needed for something as simple as making a leadership decision—you may be wrong and lose face or worse cost someone some money or their job; or a leader may be asked to lead when people’s lives, including their own, may be on the line. Read 2 Kings 11:1-21.

Jehu, future king of the northern kingdom, Israel, murdered Joram, King of Israel, to ascend to the throne. Ahaziah, King of Judah, the southern kingdom, happened to be a guest at Joram’s palace when Jehu assassinated Joram, so Jehu killed him also. Second Kings 11:1 says, “When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.” This power hungry woman wanted the throne and was willing to kill all her grandsons in order to have it. Enter the scene, two leaders with great courage:

An old axiom in sales is that “The fear of loss is greater than the anticipation of gain.” This is why there are so many ads that prominently display “Limited time offer” or that establish the countdown to sales i.e. only two days left at this price. We take action to buy because we are driven more that the deal may run out and we will miss it than our need for the product.

The same axiom, “The fear of loss is greater than the anticipation for gain” is true when viewing the motivation to take action by some leaders. Many leaders play it safe when risk is required to move their team to the next level. They know in their heart what is the correct thing to do but they just can’t take a chance that they might fail or not have a 100% victory so they do nothing but fortify their current position. It takes courage for a leader to overcome the fear of loss. Today, we look at a leader that “Went for it!” Read 1 Kings 18:1-40.

Leaders set the emotional environment for those who follow them and will give their team courage or fear. Read 1 Samuel 31:7.

During a battle between the Israelite army and the Philistine army, King Saul and all of his sons were killed. In one battle the accepted leadership of the nation was gone. Without a trusted leader to give direction, the people were overcome with fear and anxiety. They actually took their families, left their homes and possessions behind, and ran for safety.