Good Leaders Cultivate!!

Hello my friends!
How was your weekend? Mine was REALLY busy!! So, today I am "vegging out" and relaxing...it's good to take a break, no? But, NEVER a break from the Word!

Today's bold print is in chapter 16, verse 10, The Message version:

Proverbs 16:13
"Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth"

As a leader, I have learned that it is important to have smart, successful, and HONEST people around me. I do NOT want a "yes person" who just blindly agrees with everything. I love having respectful debate because it can help you avoid deception or a bad decision!! I think most leaders feel this way. Well, that is part of what verse 10 is saying...

This verse also shows the leader's responsibility if he wants to have good advisors around him - he must cultivate them! Cultivate means "to promote the growth or development of something". A farmer cultivates his land because he wants to grow crops for a plentiful harvest. Therefore, a leader should cultivate his relationship with his advisors; his "inner circle", so that they feel free to be honest and upfront, even if they respectfully disagree with the leader. If your advisors express their honest assessment and you constantly take their heads off, soon you meetings will always end early because NO ONE will say anything again!!!

The leader is really a servant then, isn't he? He is helping to develop the talents (visible and hidden) of his team -- helping them to grow and serve others as well as the team! When the atmosphere of a team is permeated by "a Leader who cultivates", that team has unlimited potential!!

So, make a wise choice and cultivate your people so they grow and develop and they will help your team grow immeasurably!!