It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a blog on leadership, but today I am back with Leadership Secret #11: No Haste to Make a Case.
Great leaders understand the secret of Proverbs 25:8-10.
8 Do not go out hastily to argue your case; Otherwise, what will you do in the end, when your neighbor humiliates you?
9 Argue your case with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or he who hears it will reproach you, And the evil report about you will not pass away.
As I read these amazing verses, I remember the times that I went to the school of hard knocks by hastily arguing my case or talking to the wrong people about the situation. I was way too quick to state what I thought and I was way too eager to get people on my side. The result was embarrassment and shame for the whole team.
Think about the truth in this passage for leaders. Don’t be hasty to react when a conflict arises. Take time to listen, pray, and analyze what is happening.
As a golfer, this reminds me of the correct way to swing a golf club. You should go back easy and controlled, and then forward balanced and smooth. Haste in the backswing is a mistake made by the inexperienced golfer. Likewise, haste to make your case is the mistake made by the leader who lacks wisdom.
Billy Graham had a “three day rule.” If a tense issue arose, he would often wait three days to respond. He used that time to let his emotions subside. That way, he would make a decision and communicate in a way that was calm and well reasoned.
The second piece of wisdom for leaders in this passage is: Don’t recruit an army to go to war with.
Great leaders know to keep the issue only between the parties involved. Wisdom says, “do not reveal the secret of another.” This is not to cover up. It allows those involved in the conflict to deal with it directly. A good leader deals with conflict confidently and keeps issues confidential. He or she can be trusted not to gather an army before dealing with a situation directly. When confronting someone with a problem, a great leader can confidently say that, “I have not discussed this with anyone else but you.”
If you want to be a great leader, don’t be hasty to argue your “side,” and don’t gather an army with which to go to war.
I love how you love on our kids!!!
both the movie Julie/Julia and others who decided to do something similar. Our first try was to make beef bourguignon. Maegan Barnes had made this dish and we heard it was amazing!
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