Wise Leaders Keep an Eye to the Future

We are close to Christmas Day. And we are given an opportunity each year to review the greatest story ever told. Also, there are leadership lessons that are in this story that are present if you will look for them.

Consider today some leadership lessons from the Wise Men.

Wise leaders keep an eye to the future so don’t partner with those who have no vision – They might have been called “wise men” but they sure made some silly mistakes. I could go back in time and speak to them I would ask them a few questions. For instance, I would ask, “If it is you who saw the star, then why did you ask anything from the ones who haven’t seen what you have?” Leaders, if the vision is yours, then don’t even try asking someone who does not share your vision for their suggestions, advice, opinion or any kinds of thoughts. They are likely to endanger your vision.

Wise leaders keep an eye to the future and have “Super Focus” – These wise men were on a mission to be sure. But they needed more than just a mission. They needed to be, and to stay, super-focused. They lost some of their focus to the more obvious reality, the palace of King Herod. Surely the new King must be living there, right? Nope! You have a star to focus on. Focus on that with singular intensity. They were not called to do the obvious. They were called to follow a star. Let’s keep following that star!

So what is the leadership lesson from the Wise Men?

Leaders keep an eye to the future and are not distracted by those without vision. They keep their focus on what lies ahead of them. They also stay focused on something other than their surroundings and the here and now.  Distractions abound. And we can be distracted, lose focus, or be fooled by the obvious.

The greatest story ever told can tell us more than just the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. And I guess if you have to focus on that or the leadership lessons, I hope you will focus on the birth of our Lord. But if you will look beyond that story, there are some leadership lessons from the Wise Men.

Photo credit: bobosh_t / iWoman / CC BY-SA
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