Tag: Experience

One Foot in Front of the Other

In our fast paced world, we overlook the simplicity and necessity of this statement?

We want answers now. We want problems resolved quickly.

Leaders often fall into the same trap. It is easy to think the work should move along faster, goals accomplished sooner, and people respond more quickly.

Personal experience has proven that when a particular work starts quickly, it struggles and usually does not last. At the same time, when thought and patience are given to the same work––strategically developing each part of the plan––success is generally forthcoming.

A good rule of thumb is to take it one step at a time.

Wisdom

Wisdom involves experience, knowledge and good judgment. Wisdom is often described as the proper application of knowledge and experience.

Leaders today must pursue the right source of wisdom. Scripture is clear and the application is significant.

Leaders who seek wisdom should ask God for it. When dealing with the trials of life, God is willing to give wisdom to those who ask in faith.

The qualities of God’s wisdom must be known and practiced: pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Wisdom can be learned by experience and from others. This allows leaders to base their leadership on the guidance provided by God.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

If you are like me, this is one of those lessons learned by experience.

While it extends into the field of carpentry and medicine, we find an application fitting for most areas of life, especially leadership.

Leadership credibility increases when decisions are based on additional information gained or counsel received, indicating the time taken to measure twice.

How different would the outcome have been if biblical leaders like Saul, David, Peter, and Paul had taking time to investigate further before making a decision compromising their relationship with God and His people?

Measuring twice makes it possible to ensure accuracy before making decisions with great consequential impact.

Leadership Resources

Leaders require resources that facilitate avenues through which learning occurs. But where can we find these resources?

Educational Resources: Leadership books, courses, and classroom training provide numerous resources. Opportunities to gain a stronger education furthers our leadership ability.

Experience Resources:
Based on work, home, and community efforts, we gain the type of experience that enables practical leadership to develop.

Environmental Resources: Who we are surrounded by provides one of the greatest resources for learning. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn from others.

These three resources broaden opportunities for our growth in leadership and now is the time to focus on such opportunities.

Knowledge, Understanding, Experience

Knowledge often highlights knowing facts or information.

Understanding includes factual information, but it carries meaning and application.

Experience takes on sharing in the same events or activities in order to gain full comprehension.

Paul wanted to know more than facts about Jesus. He wanted more than an understanding of what those facts meant and how they applied. He wanted to know Christ on the basis of experience.

The privilege of going through what Jesus experienced, “the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” meant more than book knowledge.

Imagine a leadership based on this knowledge, understanding, and experience.

A Matter of Learning

We learn by observation, teaching, personal study, and experience.

We learn from teachers with academic credentials and others who simply have experience.

Learning is not the issue. We learn something everyday. We cannot help it and we cannot resist it. Everything we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, smell with our nose, and feel with our hands creates a learning situation.

However, the importance of what we learn really makes the difference.

Learning matters that are spiritual in nature provides a foundation for lasting leadership. When considering the importance of learning, remember it is what we learn that carries the greatest importance.

Risky Business

Leadership means risks. Change never occurs quickly or easily. Introducing challenges or raising questions about the current development or structure increases the level of risk.

Regardless of the approach to personal or organizational growth, change is required in order to expand. The thought of remaining neutral, being comfortable with the status quo, or being afraid to address potential change leaves an organization stagnate and eventually deteriorating.

Time, knowledge, and experience are three elements that provide the basis for approaching any risk.

1) Do we have the time to invest?
2) Is our knowledge of the situation adequately researched?
3) What level of experience exists for the resources needed?

Wise Counselors

One of the key lessons in leadership involves surrounding ourselves with wise counselors.

Why is this so beneficial?

  1. Personal wisdom is usually developed on limited education and experience.
  2. Many counselors provide a wise approach to well-informed decisions.
  3. The strengths possessed by others compliments our weaknesses.
  4. The idea is sanctioned by the wisdom of our God.

Personal experience should remind us that when we further our own agenda, or seek a position of authority, we are in danger of traveling a destructive path.

Listen to the wisdom of those who have the knowledge and experience to guide us to greater achievement.

Redirecting Our Focus…

We are all molded by the events of the past, whether teaching, experience, or influence. Each of these take on both a positive and negative trait.

Paul’s family heritage, academic credentials, knowledge of scripture, and zealous attack against the church left a mark he did not forget from his past.

However, he did not allow the past to dictate the direction of his future. Paul had a new spiritual focus.

Leaders must learn from the past in order to prevent repeating areas that hinder our Christian influence.

The challenges of yesterday are past. We need to redirect our attention toward a spiritual future.

Wise Leaders…

Wisdom is defined as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Practically speaking, wisdom is the proper application of knowledge.

One of the most notable illustrations of leadership wisdom is found in King Solomon. The request of Solomon was a discerning heart to rule God’s people. This does not mean that Solomon was without faults, but God granted his request.

Leaders should ask God for wisdom. He gives generously to those who ask in faith.

The wisdom from God possesses specific qualities described as pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy (Jas. 3:17).