31 Ways to Grow Your Leadership – #1

The Challenge

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about knowing where to find them. In a world obsessed with being loud, right, and first, too many leaders crash and burn because they skip the most important step: getting wisdom.

We admire gifted leaders who are charismatic, clever, or confident, but if they aren’t wise, that train’s going off the rails eventually. Every time. It never fails. Without wisdom, even the most talented leader becomes dangerous to themselves and everyone following them.

Whether you’re leading a classroom, a team, a family, or a small group, here’s the unavoidable truth: You will either lead with wisdom, or you’ll lead people into a ditch. Trust me, I’ve done both… choose wisdom.

The Solution

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT):
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Process It

Solomon opens Proverbs with a punch in the face: If you don’t start with God, don’t bother.

The “fear of the Lord” isn’t about being scared of God. It’s about deep respect, awe, and surrender. It’s recognizing: “God knows more than I do. I should probably listen.” That mindset is the foundation for all true knowledge, understanding, and decision-making.

The second half of the verse makes it clear what we can expect to happen when we ignore this: we become fools. Not in the “oops” sense, but in the hard-hearted, stubborn, wreck your life/career/family/faith sense. That attitude kills leadership potential.

Real effective, healthy leadership starts by kneeling in prayer first. I’d bet that the vast majority of wise leaders you admire didn’t get there by winging it. They got there by walking in humility, learning from God, and applying what they learned. So what should you do?

Apply It

Here’s one action step for each area of life to help you start leading with wisdom right now:

• At School:
  Ask one teacher, coach, or mentor, “What’s one piece of advice you wish every student would take seriously?” Then… actually take it seriously.
• At Home:
  Begin a daily habit of reading one chapter of Proverbs with your family or roommates. Ask each other, “What’s this teaching us about how to live?”
• At Work:
  Set a reminder each day to pause before big decisions and pray this simple prayer:
  “God, give me wisdom to handle this the right way and to do what honors you and others, not just what’s easy or fast or popular.”
• At Church:
  Find someone who’s been walking with Jesus longer than you. Ask if they’d be willing to meet once a month to help you grow in faith and leadership.

BOTTOM LINE

Only true wisdom will help you lead well for the long haul.