As a leader, you’re not over a what, but a who. To lead is to influence others in a way that helps them grow personally, professionally and spiritually. Leadership is fundamentally about influencing people.

When performance trumps people, an eclipse of leadership occurs. The leader himself overshadows the team. His priorities, ideas, thoughts, decisions, become the elements of first importance.

Charlemagne (747-814) united the majority of Western and Central Europe during the Middle Ages. People call him the “Father of Europe,” and the Pope made him the first Holy Roman Emperor.

When a C-suite staff member moves on or retires, it takes an average of four months, and can cost thousands of dollars, to find a replacement. Yet, 50-70% of all executive searches fail. They end with the new hire being unsuccessful and leaving the position.

Salvation through Christ is a gift of grace. Christ Himself is described as “full of grace” (John 1:14). A common definition of grace as used throughout the Bible is undeserved favor.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) was an English pastor of the New Park Street Chapel (later renamed Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years. He became known as the “Prince of Preachers” for his spellbinding sermons, which sometimes ran two hours or more.

What if you could know what God Himself was thinking? What if you were able to discern the very thoughts of God? How would that skill and divine knowledge benefit your life and leadership?

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr. (1924 - ) is an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th President of the United States. Though many believe his presidency a failure, his post-Oval Office years have been nothing short of phenomenal.

Saint Nicholas of Myra (270-373) was an early Christian bishop from the city of Myra in Asia Minor during the time of the Roman Empire. That he loved children and was tremendously generous is widely accepted, and gave rise to the modern day tales of Santa Claus.

For clarity, consider each message in light of the question, “Is what I am about to say of benefit to the listener?” Even difficult statements are beneficial if they truly help the receiver, and are delivered with proper tone and context.

The Bible tells faith-centered leaders to live as optimists. This confidence is a spiritual character trait based on our trust in God. Joshua 1:9 promises, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed...”

We must measure to lead. Self-examination is integral to leadership. A leader who is not looking inward to see progress and pitfalls will not grow outwardly in decisions, relationships and vision.

Some leaders see themselves as a steward of their position. Others want to claim a top position in business. Still others want to accomplish something specific. None of these purposes, however, outlast the leader himself.

In leadership we might go out on a limb, try something new, give an idea a season. But when the result isn’t what we wanted or hoped for, our minds turn to the idea that we “need to get back”. Back the basics. Back to reality. Back to normal.

There are aspects of the Father that go above our heads. Though we can’t possibly know all the ways of God, we can know, in a broad sense, how God’s ways are higher our ways.

Once a person surrenders their life to Christ, faith and leadership cannot be separated. It is “baked in”. The difference in Christian leadership is that faith takes point for the leader.

Elvis Aaron Presley (1935 – 1977) was known as the “King of Rock and Roll”. He began his music career in 1954, and over the next 30 years would sell 300 million albums, make 33 movies, and become one of the most well-known and celebrated artists in history.

Positive leadership is a product of a leader’s relationships, for it is in knowing, helping and serving people that he can elicit a compelling and uplifting emotional response.

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone at all who has not had some kind of dysfunction in their environment growing up. But the Bible tends to confirm that this is independent of the person he or she will become.

Is there a summary for us of the Christian faith? Is there a simple statement that a leader can read that brings all of what we believe as Christ-followers into focus? Jesus Himself summarized the teachings of God in a few words.

For a leader, deliverables can make or break overall performance. To confirm your role as a leader in your organization, on a regular basis you will have to bring deliverables on time, on budget, and of high quality, to meet the demands of clients and executives.

Howard D. Schultz is an American businessman and author. He served as Chairman and CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000, and again from 2008 to 2017, and in 2022-2023. He was named one of the World’s Richest People by Forbes with a net worth in 2020 of $4.3 billion.

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a Greek philosopher credited with founding Western philosophy and the first among moral philosophers and the ethical tradition of thought. Socrates did not author any texts, and what is known of him is through accounts of other classical writers.

A leader’s character sets the tone for the organization. Generous leaders in these areas create a culture that is outwardly focused. Generosity can be a core principle of a business culture.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 we are instructed, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”As a faith-centered leader, consider how social media may allow you to be a spiritual influence within your circle of family, friends and coworkers.

Godly leadership is sorely needed in our current culture. Godly leaders aren’t those who are arrogant and desire to exercise power. Rather they possess sober judgment and a measure of faith.

Historians consider Ramesses II (1303-1213 BC) the greatest and most powerful Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom period. He lived to be at least 90 and ruled for more than 65 years. During his reign, the Egyptian army is estimated to have totaled some 100,000 men.

We are all born evil. We have what the Bible calls a “sin nature”—a predisposition to disobey God that has been passed down to every person starting with Adam and Eve. Their sin in the Garden of Eden separated them from a perfect relationship with God.

Sir Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and business magnate. He is the founder of Virgin Group, which is a cadre of more than 400 companies including an airline, cruise line, retail empire and space tourism concern.

There is great wisdom in the profitable use of time. For a leader, this takes a certain amount of discipline, and a purposeful desire to use his days for positive and impactful tasks and relationships.

People in general and leaders in particular are proficient in making choices. Our culture is organized around constant choice-making. Choices are literally everywhere, all the time.

Do you trust statistics? Do you make determinations based on polls, studies or historical data? How do you know those numbers are real and worth basing decisions on them? Let’s look at a biblical guideline for leading by numbers.

Julius Caesar (100 BC – 44 BC) was a Roman general and stateman who rose to become dictator of Rome. Today Caesar is still considered one of the greatest military commanders to have ever lived.

The God we worship is strategic as the Bible contains His master plan for creation. Throughout Scripture God granted strategic foresight—the 30,000 foot view—to His leaders.

Every month between 2% and 3% of all workers quit their jobs. But here’s something interesting. A recent survey revealed that 78% of young workers say they regretted their new job after starting. Are they quitting for the right reasons?

Did you know that the word decision comes from the Latin word caedere, meaning “to cut off”? In other words, a decision will cut you off from other possible outcomes.

Good decisions aren’t entirely logical, but they are also not overly emotional. The best balance tends to be more on the thoughtful side versus rational.

Most people carry a load of baggage through life. Past mistakes, relationships, decisions, circumstances weigh us down. Here’s how to let go.

If God “opens doors”, then does He also close them? Are there times where you lose a job or a client, or change your role, or a friendship is broken, or a series of circumstances bring about a major change in life—and that’s God at work?

Succumbing to the urge to avoid conflict and confrontation, we will often say “yes” to things we have no time for, that will take us away from more important priorities, or that will engage us in activity that has no real meaning for us.

Many leaders allow success for them to be defined by others, or by circumstances. But real success is that which remains true and lasting for a long time.

Charles de Gaulle (1890 – 1970) was a French army officer and stateman who led France against Nazi Germany during World War II. After the war he helped to restore order in France, rewriting its constitution. He served as Prime Minister and then as President of France from 1965-1969.

Workplace conflict is common. Any disagreement can disrupt the flow of work. Conflict reduces productivity. But it can also be a disagreement between two individuals that affects relationships.

A mass of 160,000 troops landed on the beaches at Normandy, France. The first wave knew they would likely die.

One of the common characteristics of great leaders is resolve—the ability to decide firmly on a course of action.

In today’s culture, we bicker, feud and fight with other Christ-followers. Arguments among God’s people are commonplace. But we can never argue anyone into an understanding of God. At best, this is a spiritual tangent.

Some people are energized when they have interesting news about someone else. They can’t wait to share “inside information”, especially if it paints someone else in a negative or surprising light.

Faith-centered leaders are challenged in our culture to live by their beliefs. They are called on to accept the ideologies of others that are diametrically opposed to what the Bible teaches. Jesus Himself spoke of this difficulty.

We live in a world filled with conflict. Every day, regardless of what is reported in the news, there are wars raging, injustices happening and people fighting. What should a leader do?

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the sixteenth President of the United States. He held office during the Civil War. He is considered by many to be America’s greatest President.

Undoubtedly we are more connected than ever before through electronic means. Yet our collective ability to navigate difficult conversations, especially conflict, is terrible. Perhaps our connections have become echo-chambers for groupthink.

Today, the US culture is more politically divided than at any point in our history. President John Adams’ prediction of a divided nation has come to pass, with two opposed political parties essentially splitting the country along divergent thought-lines.

Workplace conflict is common. Any disagreement can disrupt the flow of work. Conflict reduces productivity. But it can also be a disagreement between two individuals that affects relationships.

We might assume that a leader is always responsible for bringing people into harmony—a state where all parties are of one mind or final viewpoint. But this is not the nature of relationships nor within the ability of even a great leader to bring about.