Consulting and Coaching

13 Biblical Principles for Personal, Professional and Political Leadership

Leadership articles, blog posts and stories are abounding these days. People have a strong interest in leadership and for good reason. Great leadership establishes vision, direction and purpose. It fuels us, inspires us and gives us hope.

When considering leadership in our personal, professional and political lives we should consider fundamental values and principles that inform our decision making. Keeping in mind for the believer, one of the most important leadership duties is to present ourselves before God as faithful and obedient servants. We should all strive to one day hear the words: Well done my good and faithful servant.

What follows are principles that I believe should be the foundation for leadership and that should inform our decision making today. They are powerful truths from biblical leaders who have long gone before us.

13 Principles for Personal, Professional and Political Leadership

1. Understand the Primary Purpose for Your Leadership: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ~Deuteronomy 6:5-6

Leader: Moses, raised in the court of Pharaoh, early leader of the Israelites, led them out of captivity in Egypt

2. Dedicate Yourself to the Word of God: Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:8-9

Leader of the Israelites after Moses, one of the greatest military leaders in the Bible, led the Israelites into the Promised land

3. Be Confident About Who Informs Your Vision: Then my God put it into my heart. ~Nehemiah 7:5a

Leader: Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, led the Israelites in building the wall in Jerusalem

4. Know Who to Trust: Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ~Psalm 37:5

Leader: King David of Israel, one of the greatest military leaders in the Bible

5. Be Intentional About Protecting Your Heart: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ~Proverbs 4:23

Leader: King Solomon of Israel

6. Appreciate the Value and Importance of Wise Counsel: Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. ~Proverbs 11:14

Leader: King Solomon of Israel

7. Grasp What God Requires of Your Leadership: What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. ~Micah: 6:8

Leader: Micah, Old Testament prophet

8. Understand it is God Who has Appointed You as Leader: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. ~Ephesians 4: 1a

Leader: Paul, an apostle, leader in the first century

9. Be Wise About Your Leadership: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. ~2 Timothy 1:15

Leader: Paul, an apostle, leader in the first century

10. Get Your Strength from God: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13

Leader: Paul, an apostle, leader in the first century

11. Realize Your Power Source: Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ~Matthew 7:7-8

Leader: Jesus, Son of God

12. Recognize Greatness is in Serving: Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. ~Matthew 20: 26-28

Leader: Jesus, Son of God

13. Live by this Golden Command: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. ~Mark 12:30-31

Leader: Jesus, Son of God

It is my belief that if you put these principles into practice in your leadership you will have great success, experience the joy of God and one day hear the words, Good and well done my faithful servant.