Leaders Must Make Good Decisions

Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established. Proverbs 15:22 A good leader must make decisions based on a balance between collecting & analyzing data and relying on their intuition. So how do we accomplish this and yet seek God’s will in decision making? When it comes to collecting & analyzing data, I first seek what God’s Word has to say on the matter. Sometimes there is clear direction in God’s Word. More often, there are only principles that serve me as guidelines. And even more intangible, but perhaps most importantly, regular reading of God’s Word teaches me to have a godly perspective on life and decisions, to think as God thinks – this is now crossing over into “intuition”. I also glean valuable data from the counsel of wise, godly people. People who can advise me well because they either have been down the path I am considering or because they, too, have come to think as God thinks. Often, but not always, these may be people who know me well and have a vested interest in speaking truth into my life (e.g., my wife). My final bit of data input comes from the circumstances that surrounds me. Often God will open and close doors to point me in the direction He would have me go. Next, comes intuition. Intuition, in a Christian’s life comes from knowing himself well and from knowing God well. To know self well means to know my natural bent, my personality, my gifts, my talents, my strengths and weaknesses, my God-given interests and passions, my specialized skill and education, my life lessons from life experiences, and my driving motivations. It is understanding my life calling, my life mission. Once a person knows themself well and what God has called them to do, it is much easier to weigh the pros and cons of a decision in light of the journey God has him/her on and how this decision factors into that journey. Finally, another aspect of “intuition” is knowing God well and spending time with Him daily so that I am open to listening to what He is telling me and the subtle promptings of His Holy Spirit to my spirit. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I try not to get too bogged down in analysis paralysis. Once I have considered the above, it is time to take action. God cannot course correct something that is not moving. While I try not to revisit unnecessarily decisions I have made, I do believe it is important to stay open to God’s confirmation or course correction once I take action based on a decision. How is your process for decision making? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com