Who do you think of first when making major decisions? (99-5)
A leader must learn how to relate with their team both as a group and one-on-one. The stronger the leader’s relationship, their connection with the individuals, the more likely there is loyalty, unity, and good work relationships of the team to the leader and to each other. If a leader determines it is the team’s responsibility to work to develop these relationships, it will fail.
Effective leaders take the responsibility to take the first steps to connect with their team.
Read 1 Kings 12:1-24.
Solomon died and his son Rehoboam was put on the throne. Solomon had been a great king but in his later years had shifted from serving the Lord and fairly treating the people to more self-centered leadership. Solomon had taken the throne from his father David with the nation’s momentum moving in a positive direction; Rehoboam was taking the throne with the nation’s momentum moving in a negative direction.
Some enemies Solomon made in his later years were attacking from outside Israel’s borders. Jeroboam, a one time insider on Solomon’s team that Solomon had physically driven from the country, was poised to attack the new king’s authority from within. It was critical for Rehoboam to develop solid connections and good relationships with key members of his team and to make his first few decisions benefit this fledgling coalition and the nation as a whole.
When you have a major direction-changing decision, do you think of your team first or yourself first? Rehoboam had no interest in what he could give; he aimed to get the maximum. Effective leaders must persistently ask themselves,
“What am I doing for others?”
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