“One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” Arnold Glasow

All leaders will face problems. How we deal with problems makes the difference.

I commonly hear people speak of moving from one fire (problem) to another. When one fire is out, they are racing to the next. At some point, there are too many fires to put out and leaders find themselves overloaded and unable to resolve any of the problems well.

What will help us with these problems before they become emergencies?

Address problems when they arise. Waiting for problems to resolve themselves, or ignoring problems is a denial of our role in leadership.

Rely on wise counsel. Resolving problems based on our own wisdom and experience can be effective, but Solomon teaches the value of wise counsel.

Learn to delegate. Get others involved in problem resolution. Assigning tasks to others will help create confidence in their ability to reach a solution.

Our task as spiritual leaders is to provide a solution based in God’s word. Here, and only here, can real solutions be found.