Genesis Chapter 32: Rejoining someone you have wronged

When people grow up and mature, they almost always can remember a time when they have treated someone wrong, or done something to someone that they wished they hadn't.  In the case of today's reading, Jacob had stolen his brother Esau's birthright and his blessing.  This was a very big deal in that time.  When Jacob left his family to go look for his wife, Esau was very angry and wanted to kill his brother Jacob.

20 years later, after Jacob had found his wives and established his own family, he was set to return to his father's house.  That meant re-acquainting himself with his brother.  Jacob had no idea what to expect, so he put a plan in place to smooth the road.

1. When you have done something wrong to someone, prepare to pay the price.  Jacob knew that he had gotten the birthright and the blessing through trickery.  He was prepared to face the wrath of his brother Esau, and expected the worse.

2. Mentally and physically prepare for the worse and then work backward from there.  Dale Carnegie famously made this suggestion when dealing with stress.  When you are worried about an outcome, if you prepare yourself to accept the worst thing that can happen, then anything less than that will seem much better.  Jacob planned for the worst from Esau.  He split his party into two groups, just in case Esau took one out.  He also prepared gifts for his brother that he sent ahead of the groups.

3.  Rehearse what you are planning to say.  The Bible verse did not illustrate what the speech  rehearsal that Jacob went through, but you could only imagine what was going through his mind as he approached his brother.  Make sure you practice with someone who you trust and who will throw scenarios at you in order for you to be prepared for different responses.

4.  Be humble and show respect.  When Jacob finally met with his brother again, he was very humble and showed his brother great respect.  He was willing to give Esau half of his belongings for his forgiveness.  He showed by his actions and humility that he was sorry for what had happened in the past.

5. Finally, make sure you learn from your actions and try not to repeat them in the future.  Jacob was a crafty young man who had the protection of his mother when he acted against Esau.  Over the following 20 years, Jacob got to experience first hand, what it felt like to have someone manipulate him. (Remember, Jacob was tricked into marrying the wrong woman which led him into an additional 7 years of service to Laban.)  Once Jacob felt what it was liked to be "duped" he was able to evaluate how his brother must feel toward him.  Everyone makes mistakes as they grow, only fools choose not to learn from them.

Another way to look at this reunion is from Esau's perspective.  We see an example of what a mature, compassionate leader looks like.  Esau knows that his brother is terrified of what will happen when they reunite.  He also has the ability to take advantage of all of the gifts that Jacob offers him.  Esau could exact the revenge that he had initially felt 20 year ago.

Instead, Esau accepts his brother back with open arms.  He makes peace between the two of them possible by forgiving his brother for what he had done.  True leaders don't hold grudges.  They act and react to the most current information, not from old feelings.  I am sure that Esau's reaction would have been much different if he hadn't seen the signs of contrition from Jacob, but it takes a big man to put aside his revenge and harsh memories and forgive someone who has grown.

Genesis Chapter 30-31 Leadership Lesson: You've got to know when to walk away and know when to run...

One of the hardest things to do as a leader is to figure out when it is time to leave one situation for another.  Many leaders find themselves in situations that they are not best for them, or their family/team.  They are usually in that situation because they feel a sense of debt to someone associated with the situation.  For example, a leader may find himself sticking with a certain company just because that is where he got his chance, even if the situation is no longer best for him.

In Chapters 30 and 31 of Genesis, Jacob finds himself in such a dilemma.  Jacob had traveled to "the land of the eastern peoples" in search of a bride.  He found the one he wanted in the family of his uncle Laban.  Jacob was so in love with Rachel, he agreed to work for Laban for 7 years to gain her hand in marriage.  At the end of seven years, he was tricked in to marrying Rachel's older sister Leah by his uncle Laban.  Jacob committed another 7 years in order to gain the hand of Rachel in marriage.  That's 14 years of investment that Jacob committed to reach his dream.  Jacob also began having children with his new wives shortly afterward.  In total, Jacob spent 20 years in the labor of his Uncle Laban.

Through all of this, Laban continually took advantage of Jacob and the relationship that Jacob had with God.  Laban had Jacob run his flocks, and since God found favor with Jacob, the flocks prospered.  Jacob was in a tough spot.  He was very grateful to Laban for his wives (even though Laban used treachery with the marriage of Leah).  Jacob  was also very thankful for the opportunity to work and gain wealth. (even though Laban kept most of it for himself).  Finally, Jacob was shamed into staying because Laban kept holding the need to see his daughters and grandchildren over Jacob's head for reasons not to leave.

As time went by, Jacob had to make a decision that was going to be right for his family.  It is an important step in leadership to know when it is time to make a bold move.  Jacob saw signs in the way that Laban and his sons had been treating him.  He also missed his family.  As Jacob was making this decision, he made sure to include other important people who would be affected by the action.  After he consulted with his wives, and they agreed that it was time to go, Jacob made the next significant step... He took action.  One of the biggest mistakes that leaders make is in overanalyzing the situation.  Colin Powell talks about the perils of waiting for all of the information to come in before making a decision.  He suggests that once you have 70% of the information necessary, you will lose any advantage you have by waiting for more information.

Jacob made the decision to leave Laban and return home.  Jacob made sure to talk to the Lord before he left.  He waited until the Lord said "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." (Gen. 31:3)  This is a very important step.  If you are in contact with the Lord through prayer, you will astounded how willing He is to lend His guidance in major decisions.  He may not come out and speak to you, like he did with Jacob, but more often then not, you will understand his will.

Just because Jacob made the decision to leave did not mean that there would not be obstacles to overcome.  In this case, Laban pursued Jacob across the dessert.  Think about it, Jacob, through his relationship to the Lord, had made Laban a very wealthy man.  Laban was not willing to just let him leave with his flock, his daughters, and his grandchildren.  When Laban overtook Jacob on the journey things got contentious.  Leaders can learn something from how Jacob handled the confrontation.

Jacob explained to Laban why he left.  He also challenged Laban to give him a reason why he should not be free to return to his family.  Laban and Jacob agreed to an oath which would insure that Laban would no longer pursue Jacob after that day.  This piece of closure is very important in the process.  This was a way that both parties knew the rules of the relationship moving forward.

Let's review what lesson we have learned:
1.  At some point leaders will have to make a decision on whether or not they are in the "right" situation.
2. Leaders should construct logical framework around the decision to keep from being emotional.  They need to collect the information necessary to move forward, being cautious not to over analyze.
3.  Leaders should consult with others, especially if they will be impacted, before making big decisions.  This includes asking the Lord for guidance.
4.  Once a decision is made, take the necessary action.
5. Be prepared for obstacles and "fall out" after the action is taken.
6. Be ready to create an official agreement with other parties to make sure that everyone is clear about the new relationship.

Hopefully the lessons learned will help you evaluate your decision next time you need to evaluate your current situation.

Genesis Chapter 29 Leadership Lesson: Weigh the cost

Part of being a leader is being able to make and plan for decisions.  There needs to be a process that is gone through when a large decision needs to be made to insure that the cost of the decision is weighed appropriately.

What type of investment is it going to take in order to reach your goal?

Who else will need to be involved in order to reach your goal?

Are the "players" trustworthy?

What are the potential downsides?

What delays or obstacles should be considered?

If the goal is reached, was it worth the cost?

These are just some of the questions that you should consider when entering into a venture.  Jacob lived the consequences of not being prepared with answers to these questions.  Jacob went to Paddan Aram to search for a wife.  When he entered town, the first woman he saw was Rachel.  She was very beautiful and Jacob was instantly smitten.  He found out that she was the daughter of his uncle, so she was available for him to marry.

This is where Jacob began to make decisions on his emotions and not his logic.  He approached Laban and asked what it would take to have Rachel as his wife.  Laban said that Jacob would have to work for him for seven years, and then Rachel would be his.

If the questions above were used as a filter, the first would be, "What type of investment is being asked for?"  In this case it is seven years of Jacobs labor.  At least Jacob was aware of what was being asked.  Second question, "Who is involved?"  In this case, Jacob assumed that it was only Laban, Rachel and him.  This is a good example of what happens when we make decisions without all of the information.  In this case, Rachel's older sister, Leah, was also a player.  The third quesiton, "Are the people trustworth?" is the changing point of this series of quesitons.  While Laban is Jacob's uncle, Jacob was not familiar with him.  He blindly trusted Laban to be willing to be fair and treat him like family.  We find out later that Laban is not a trustworthy partner in this agreement.  The fourth question is, "What are the downsides?"  The easy answer is that Jacob will miss out on seven years of his life and other opportunities.  The topic that Jacob did not consider was what would happen if after seven years, he did not get what Rachel as his wife? 

That is exactly what happened.  At the end of seven years, Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, instead of Rachel.  This leads to the next question, "What delays or obstacles may occur?"  Jacob had now given seven years of his life in labor for a prize he still didn't have.  Laban agreed to give Rachel to him if he worked an additional seven years in his fields.  This is where Jacob had to answer, "Is it worth it?"  Jacob decided that in this case it was.  He could have walked away with Leah as his wife and continued his life, but he decided that Rachel was worth the additional sacrafice to stick it out.

So many times we make decisions as leaders by taking certain assumptions for granted.  In this story, Jacob assumed that his uncle would be a trustworthy partner.  He also assumed everything would go as planned.  The second area that needs to be addressed is our propensity to make emotional decisions and rationalize away potential issues.  Jacob was so smitten by Rachel, that he was willing to jump in, with both feet, without considering the consequences.

Next time you find yourself wanting to make a decison that is based in emotion, try to catch yourself before your decsion is made and run yourself through the above questions.  Then, at least you will have tried to apply logic to your decision process.

Genesis Chapter 27: Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessing; Leadership Lesson: Trust Your Gut

Isaac was getting old, and it was his time to give his blessing to his oldest son Esau.  He asked Esau to go out and catch some venison, prepare it for him, and then come and get his blessing.  Rebekah overheard Isaac and came up with a plan.  She went to her favorite son, Jacob, and told him to go get two "choice young goats" so she could prepare them the way Isaac liked.  She was going to have Jacob pretend that he was his older brother, in order for Jacob to get the blessing.  Jacob was worried that his father would figure things out, because Esau was hairy and Jacob was smooth.  Rebekah covered Jacob's arms and hands with goat fur to make him feel like his older brother.  Then she dressed him in Esau's clothes, so he would smell like him as well.

Jacob presented the meal prepared by his mother to Isaac.  Here is where the leadership lesson, trust your gut, begins.  The first thing that Isaac mentions is that Esau had returned so quickly.  It seemed odd to him that the meal could be prepared that fast.  Jacob explains it away as the Lord blessing him.

The next "gut check" came when Isaac asked to have "Esau" come close so he could touch him.  This leads me to believe that there must have been something in the voice of Jacob that raised suspicion in Isaac.  Isaac says "the voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are of Esau."

Then, Isaac asked Jacob, "Are you really my son, Esau?"  and Jacob answered, "I am."

They ate and drank together preparing for the blessing.  When they were done, Isaac asked "Esau" to come close and kiss him.  When Jacob did, Isaac smelled the clothes of his brother and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed..."  This was yet again another sign that Isaac was unsure of the identity of the son that stood before him.

At that point he gave Jacob his blessing.

Once Esau came home and presented his meal to his father, Isaac figured out the mistake he had made.  The problem was, that once a blessing was given, it could not be taken away.  The chapter continues, but we have heard enough to make a point.

1. When something does not seem right to you, do research.  In this Chapter, Isaac asked multiple questions to Jacob, because his "alarms" were going off.

2. If you are still unsure, come up with an alternative solution.  If you were Isaac, what alternative could you have developed?    How about asking others to be present to witness the blessing.  This would have easily uncovered Rebekah's plot.

3. Once you make a decision, you are responsible for honoring it.  As a leader, there are no excuses for poor decisions.  You are accountable for what you say and implement.  That doesn't mean that there are times that changes can be made, but at the end of the day, you are where the "buck stops"

4. Don't assume people with their own agendas, no matter how close to you they are, won't try to manipulate you for their own gain.  Isaac's own wife and son deceived and outwardly lied to Isaac in order to get what they wanted.

Next time a red flag goes up around a decision you need to make, trust your gut, do some research, develop safeguarding solutions, and treat everyone with the same sense of scrutiny.  More often than not, you can be confident with your result.

Genesis Chapter 26 Leadership Lessons: With Power Comes Conflict

In this Chapter, a famine is taking place in the land and Isaac takes his family to Gerar for the duration of the famine.  During this time, the Lord blessed him and he was very prosperous.  His herds and flocks grew and he became very powerful.  Because of that power, the Philistines became afraid and jealous and asked him to leave their territory.  They also filled in all of the wells that his father, Abraham, had dug.  Isaac agreed to move his people away from Gerar.  As he moved, he would dig a well.  There continued to be fights over who the well belonged to, so Isaac would always leave the well and move on.  Finally, he dug a well and no one fought him for it.  He then knew that this was the place to stop.

As he began to prosper again, the king, Abimelech, and his advisors sought him out to form a treaty.  Isaac was confused.  He wondered aloud why they would want to form a treaty with him after they had sent him away.  He was told that it was obvious that he was blessed and that they wanted to form a treaty with him so that war would never break out between them.

As always, the above summary pales in comparison to actually reading the chapter.  There are sections before and after the referenced story, but this is the topic I was hoping to cover.

In leadership there are always struggles with other groups of people.  In business, there are competitors that are trying to get your market.  In sports, there are other teams trying to beat you.  In this case, Isaac was being harrassed by people who were jealous of his wealth and prosperity.

Isaac had different options that he could have taken when he met this situation:

1. He could have defended his ground and fought for his wells. The problem with this option was that the land was never his in the first place.  He came to this place due to a famine.  What he was able to accomplish here was a gift to begin with.

2. He could have negotiated a deal to stay where he was.  The problem with that option was that there would need to be policing of the agreement.  As wells continued to be filled in, and other potential action taken, who would be responsible for monitoring the situation?  What energy would have to be taken, just to monitor the agreement.

3. He could thank them for the opportunity, take what he had learned (and earned), and move to a different location, where there wasn't as much competition.

So many times, leaders allow their ego to get in the way.  It is easy to think that the first two choices are the best ones.  Isaac had done all the work, he should enjoy the benefits.  However, what would the long-term chance of success have been?  He would have always been dealing with confrontation.  Instead Isaac decided to find an environment where he and his people could prosper, over the long term.  There he was able to establish new wells and become more successful than he could have been where he was, because he now had room to grow.  He grew so much, that the king who had initially sent him away, sought him out to form an oath with him.

What are the learning opportunities from this story?

1. Trust that the Lord will guide you to the right place.
2. Don't let your ego get in the way of making the right choice
3. When presented with a problem, consider the long term impact of your decision
4. When given the opportunity, do not make enemies.  Don't quarrel over the "small wells"
5. Be open to forming partnerships, even if they come from people who you've delt with in the past.
6. When conflict arises, look for the opportunity to grow.

Isaac saw this as an opporutnity to establish his family in a place where they could prosper and grow.  He looked to the Lord for guidance and then he followed the path.  Where do you see conflict that could lead to opportunity?  Should you leave an area of conflict to establish yourself in a better place for you to grow?  Where can you make a partner where there used to be an adversary?

Genesis 22: Abraham and Isaac: Leadership Lesson: Trust, Dedication, Responsibility

At the beginning of this chapter God calls Abraham and tells him to take his only son to the top of a “mountain to be named later” and sacrifice him in a burnt offering. Abraham does not ask any questions, packs some wood, a couple of servants, and his son Isaac, and heads to the mountains. At the given time, the Lord tells Abraham what mountain to head toward, and Abraham tells his two servants to wait with the donkeys, that He and Isaac will go from there. Isaac is starting to get suspicious and asks his father “we have the wood, but what are we going to sacrifice?” Abraham responds, “God will provide himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” When they get to the top of the mountain, Abraham builds the altar, binds his son, and prepares to kill him with a knife. At the last moment, an angel appears and tells Abraham to stop what he is doing and let his son down. Abraham notices a ram struggling in the bushes off to the side and prepares the animal to take his son’s place.




You may ask yourself, “Why would a leader ask one of their followers to do something like that?” Or “As a leader, what can I learn from this Chapter?” Let’s focus on the second question. Only a very strong leader could have one of their people follow these instructions, without even a second thought. Imagine the thoughts that could be running through Abrahams mind. He had waited 90 years for a son, and now he was being asked to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering. Here is what I think put Abraham’s fears to rest:



1. God had built trust with him over time. God had always delivered on his promises to Abraham, and Abraham always ended up better than when he started.

2. God had promised Abraham more descendants, then stars in the heavens. Why would God do anything to harm Abraham or his family?

3. Abraham had hope. When asked where the sacrifice was, Abraham responded, “God will provide himself the lamb…” Abraham held to the hope that God would find a better solution.

4. He was thankful for the gift. Isaac would never have been in Abraham’s life if God hadn’t worked a miracle. Therefore, Abraham was just thankful for the time that he had with his son, and if God wanted to take him back, then so be it.



So far we have discussed the attributes of a great follower. Wouldn’t we all want someone like Abraham to do as we ask….Well, perhaps if we follow God’s lead we can.



1. Build and foster trust with your people. The leader/follower relationship is forged with trust and experience. That doesn’t mean that you have to be in command for a set amount of time, but you do need to prove to your followers that you are going to treat them with respect, integrity and honor.

2. Help your people get what they want. Find out what your people’s goals and dreams are and do your best to help them accomplish them. In this case, God helped Abraham and Sarah have a son. For that, the couple would always be grateful and honor their leader.

3. Don’t be afraid to make a “Big Ask” of your people. Let’s pray that you will never need to ask someone to give up a life for you, but there are other things that you may need that seem like they are too much to request. Evaluate how the result will impact the relationship and make the “Big Ask” if appropriate.

4. Always try to have an alternative option if the situation changes. In the above example, God had a ram caught in the bushes that was made available when Abraham was asked to let Isaac down. When you make a request and later decide to change the course, which may impact someone, do your best to give them alternatives.



In this chapter, God asks for the ultimate sacrifice from Abraham, the sacrifice of his only son. Abraham doesn’t even blink before he is willing to offer Isaac up, if that what the Lord wants. We find out later in The Bible, that God is never going to ask someone to do what he is not willing to do. (Anther great attribute of a leader) God sacrifices his only Son, because it was needed to save the world.



When hard decisions arise and tough requests have to made, ask yourself: “Have I built up the necessary trust to make a ‘Big Ask’?” “Are there any alternatives that I can offer that still get the goal accomplished?” “Would I be willing to do the same thing if it were requested of me?”



The answers to these questions, along with prayer, will guide you to make the best decision possible.

Genesis Chapter 18: Abraham and the Three Men: Leadership Lesson: Think Like a Servant; Leaders Learn to Negotiate.

In the beginning of this chapter, Abraham saw three men approaching his land and jumped up to greet them.  At this point he had no idea who they were.  He insisted that they stop, wash their feet, and have some food.  When the men agreed, he hurried to have his wife make fresh bread, and then he killed a choice calf and had it prepared.

This is when we learn that the three men are God and two of his angels.  Abraham was the most powerful man in his area.  He had no reason, other than a heart for service, to be so hospitable to these strangers.  During this meal, the Lord reveals to Abraham that he will have a son with Sarah, even thought they are both to old to have children.

How things could have been different if Abraham would have let the three men pass by.  Or even if he would have not been so persistent to have them stop.  What would have happened if Abraham had given them stale bread, thinking that at least he was giving them something?  This is a great example of a great man genuinely caring for other people, without having an agenda.  People love to follow leaders who are genuine and who care.  The Lord values this as well, as seen by the gift of a son, given to Abraham.

The second part of the chapter deals with Abraham negotiating with the Lord.  The Lord was deciding on whether or not to destroy Sodom.  Abraham knew that his nephew lived there.  Abraham was not willing to ask the Lord to save just his family that was there, so he began by asking if the Lord would spare the city if there were at least 50 decent people who lived there.  When the Lord agreed that he would, Abraham began to negotiate the number down, until he got to ten.

Abraham knew that the Lord did not want to destroy any good people if they could be saved, remember, the Lord saved Noah and his family when he destroyed the rest of the world.  So Abraham, respectfully, reminded the Lord that as long as there were good people there, he needed to get them to safety.

When strong leaders negotiate, they appeal to the other person’s sense of values and desires.  Abraham knew that God wants to save the good people, and as long as Abraham kept bringing the negotiation back to that, he had a chance for success.  

The other thing that Abraham did was know when to stop.  Especially when you are negotiating with now power, you need to understand when to stop.  Abraham was relying on God’s good will to save the people, he needed to understand what would be too much to ask for.  Once you cross the line and ask for to much, it is hard to go backwards.  

Pray for what you want, understand what you are likely to get (research), and be respectful and thankful to the person with whom you negotiate (interpersonal communications).  Simple lessons that are all too often ignored or minimized because people are to focused on getting what they want at that moment.

Chapter 16: Abram, Sarai, and Haggar: Leadership Lessons: Patience and Judgement

This chapter documents the love triangle between Abram, Sarai, and Haggar.  Sarai was unsure of her ability to give Abram a son, so she offers Haggar to him.  Haggar and Abram are able to conceive, and this is where the trouble begins.

Before we address that, let’s talk about the need of patience from a leader.  The Lord has already spoken to Abram about his descendants outnumbering the stars in the heaven.  If Abram would have remained patient and willing to wait to do things in God’s time, then the stressed relationships and circumstances could have been avoided.  As a leader, how many times do you push to make big, or even small, decisions on your time and not God’s time?  Don’t fool yourself into thinking that the Lord excludes your business decisions from his power.  He has a plan for ALL parts of your life, not just your personal life.  The next time that you find yourself making a decision, “just because one needs to be made,”  take a moment to pray and you might find yourself thinking twice.

Now let’s discuss how judgement affected the situation: 

1. Sarai suggested one of her maidservants to her husband, in order to conceive a child.  What was she expecting to accomplish with this decision?
1. Option 1: Abram tries and fails, to conceive with Haggar.  Maybe this makes her feel better about herself, knowing that it is not her fault that they don’t have a child, but her husband still slept with another woman.
2. He does conceive, which actually happens, and now her old maidservant has a higher standing in the household than she does!

As a leader, it is your responsibility to consider the OUTCOMES of your decisions, before you make them.  

1. Abram had a judgement decision as well.  When Sarai came to him when she was unhappy with how Haggar was treating her, after the conception, Abram had to decide how he was going to handle the situation.  Abram could have made a decision himself, but he chose to place the responsibility back on Sarai’s lap.  He help Sarai accountable for her initial decision.  May times, as leaders, when our people come to us, we are quick to help them out by making tough decisions for them.  

Often times, leaders have experience that their followers don’t have yet.  If you take your people “off the hook” by letting them know what decision you would make, then they will never get the courage or the experience to make tough decisons for themselves.

As a leader, you also need to monitor the progress of your person’s decision.  If the decision does not work out, it is important to be there to help them correct the decision and learn from their mistakes.

Genesis Chapter 15: God's Covenant with Abram Leadership Lessons: Motivating People with "Big Picture" vision.

Genesis Chapter 15: God’s Covenant with Abram

Leadership Lesson: Motivate people with “big picture” vision

In this Chapter, the Lord and Abram discuss what will happen to Abram’s decedents.  The leadership lesson in this chapter is to motivate people with “Big Picture” vision of the future and not just with accomplishments in the present.

Abram was doing a great job following God’s will and walking in faith.  God had already rewarded him with possessions in this life.  God, as leader, gave Abram a vision of something greater to work for.  In this case, God promised that Abram’s descendants, even though they would suffer hardships, would return to inhabit the land he currently occupied.

This promise helps with motivation in two ways. 

1. Abram has the confidence to know that if he continues to walk with the Lord, not only he, but his descendants, will be taken care of by God.

1. Abram can set the vision with his family and followers, that even though there will be tough times ahead, the end result will be desirable.

When truly great “movements” need to take place, a large vision needs to be set.  This is even more important if the accomplishment will likely be accomplished after the current leader has moved on.  The vision will keep people focused on the destination and not the obstacles.  If people buy into the vision, they will be more willing to see opportunities where others see obstacles.

What opportunity do you have to set a vision for your team?  What is the one thing that you would hope to have your team accomplish, even if you move on?  When obstacles present themselves, what will your people turn to in order to find hope, confidence and perseverance?

Genesis 14: Abram saves Lot: Leadership Lesson: Keep lines of communication open, Remember your promises, Honor your partnerships, Have a plan.

In this chapter, Abraham’s brother Lot gets caught in the middle of a large fight and gets carried off as a hostage.  At this point Abram is not there, so one of the people who saw what happened went to alert Abram on the situation.  It is important to remember that Abram and Lot had not been getting along when they parted.  However, since the actual parting of ways went well, there was no fear from Lot’s messanger about the reception he would recieve.

Abraham decided to honor his relationship with Lot and take his resources and launch a rescue mission.  He was going to battle a force that it would appear was much larger than his.

It is documented that he gathered his 300+ fighting men and headed after Lot’s captors.  Imagine what would have happened if Abraham would have attacked the force head on.  He would have been easily overwhelmed by the superior numbers.  Instead, Abraham planned ahead and split his troops up to attack on two sides.  He also decided to attack when it was dark to further confuse his enemies.  It would have been easy for Abram to look at the size of his foe and decide that there was not way he could win.  Instead, he got creative and found ways to use his smaller force to his advantage.

Abraham was able to win the battle and save his brother.  He returned Lot to King Mechizeldeck.  The king blessed Abraham and tried to give him his share of the spoils of the battle.  Abraham, however, remembered the promise he made to God, and refused his portion of the spoils, knowing that, due to his covenent, they were not his to take.  This is a key Leadership lesson.....DON”T BE GREEDY.  If you agree to do, or not do something, don’t change the terms because something may unexpectedly go your way.  Abram went on this mission to save his nephew.  He did not enter into the battle to gain anything for himself.  If the messenger had not found him, he would have never chosen to engage any of these people in battle.  He was also in a territory that he had agreed to walk away from.  It would have been wrong to take advantage of the situation just because he was there at a time when they were vulnerable.

This does not mean that you should not take advantage of opportunity.  The point is that if you go into a situation with a goal in mind, (in this case, rescuing his nephew) and things happen to present themselves in a way that could be viewed as taking advantage of a situation, you should resist the temptation.  Abram had already been promised many things from God, there was no need to take additional resources from King Mechizeldeck.  It would be like getting paid to do a job by someone, and then accepting additional money from someone else for doing the same job.

The partnerships that you can forge by NOT taking advantage of a situation will pay off over the long run.

Genesis Chapter 12-14 Leadership Lessons: Decision making, Risk and Opportunity, The importance of trust

Genesis Chapter 12-13

Abraham, his calling, his trip to Egypt, and his splitting with Lot

Leadership Lessons: Decision Making, Being a good team mate,  Following a strong leader

The first part of these chapters talks about the calling of Abram by the Lord.  Can you imagine what it would be like to be recruited by GOD!  In reality, we all are, but I can imagine that this occasion was probably slightly more obvious than when we are recruited.  The key is that Abram listened and decided to follow.

Many great leaders would be successful no matter what their situation, but MOST have had an opportunity present itself to them that they took advantage of.  Abram was one of those leaders.  He was told that if he believed in the Lord, and followed him, his people would be numbered as many as the sand in the desert.  What a great offering.

Abram gathers his family and begins to follow the Lord.  The next leg of the journey is a conversation about future plans.  You could almost call it a Biblical Mission Statement.  The Lord shows Abram the land of Caanan and explains that it will belong to his descendants.  What a great gifts, but the key still remained, that Abram needed to remain loyal to his leader and carry out his vision.

There is an interesting story in these chapters about a trip to Egypt that Abram took during a famine.  There is a decision that is made that I bet, if given the benefit of hindsight, Abram would have played differently.  He has a beautiful wife, Sahri, who he is sure the Egyptians will find attractive.  He figures that they will kill him if they think she is her husband, so he decides to tell them that she is his sister.  Lying is never a good idea, especially when you are the leader.  Your followers will see that you use deceit in order to try to gain an advantage.  In this case, the pharaoh, who thought that Abram was the brother of a woman he was going to take for his wife, gave him significant material wealth. 

All was going along just fine, until the Lord, being the supreme leader that he is, decided to make things right.  First, he punished Pharaoh for taking Sahri for his wife.  He put a plague over all of Egypt.  He made it clear to the Egyptians why the plague had befallen them, which led them to confront Abram.  This resulted in Abram and his family getting kicked out of Egypt in the middle of a famine. 

So now, Abram has angered the Lord, by lying to the Pharaoh, He has angered the Pharaoh, because he deceived him, which resulted in Pharaoh making a bad decision that impacted his relationship with God.  Most importantly, Abram jeopardized his relationship with his followers, most significantly his wife, by making them go along with the lie. 

I think there is a magnified penalty that leaders pay when they lie.  The reason is that all true leadership power relies on the trust between the leader and the follower.  When a follower is asked to lie to help a leader gain a position, there is always a thought in the back of their head that if they could lie to someone else and use me to do it, they could lie to me as well.

The leadership lesson here is that if you are not good enough to lead by being yourself, then no matter how long you mask your weaknesses or shortcomings, you will eventually be found out, and the consequences could be drastic.

In this case, the Lord was looking out for his follower and had a back up plan.  However, there were additional penalties that had to be paid.  The partnership of Abram and Lot had to separate in order for there to be the possibility of both of their families prospering.

Any time partners have to split, there is tension on how the property will be split.  In this case, Abram took an opportunity to take a leadership “jump”.  He allowed Lot to pick the path he wanted to take.  One-way was fertile and civilized; the other was more of a wilderness.  Lot took the easy path for himself and left Abram with the wilderness.  I believe that this exemplifies the confidence that Abram had in his relationship with the Lord.  It also showed compassion for his brother, by allowing him to take an easier path.

The Lord rewarded Abram for this decision by promising to give him all of the land that he could see in every direction.  Abram was a strong leader, and it is quite possible that Lot would not have been able to lead his clan in the wilderness and sustain growth.  Abram should be applauded for seeing an opportunity to really stretch and take a risk, by choosing a harder path, and have it really pay off.

What opportunities do you have that might be a risk?  Do you have a strong leader you can trust to help direct you through the risk?  Have you built the trust necessary with your people to be sure that they will follow you when the going gets tough (wait till we get to Moses).  Opportunity and Risk is like the wilderness, but true leaders aren’t invigorated by the easy, tame, and civilized, they thrive on discovery, exploration, and innovation.  Take a lesson from Abram and if you can answer yes to the above questions….Choose the wilderness.

Genesis 6-9 The Story of Noah

Leadership Lessons: Trust in Company Direction, Understanding and working with talent, Execution of plans, leadership confidence.

Most people are aware of the “Noah’s Ark” story in the Bible.  The question, as a leader, how can I learn from what took place.

First, from God’s perspective,  he was ready to scrap the whole  “civilization experiment” when he realized that there were so many terrible people in the world.  Instead, he evaluated the entire situation and found that there was something (or someone in this case) worth investing in and saving.   There have been many times as a leader that scraping the whole project, or letting everyone go and starting from scratch seem like easier, or better decisions.  If you take a moment and truly evaluate the entire situation, you may find that there are actually diamonds in the rough, or valuable lessons to be learned from the experience.

Next, let’s take a look from Noah’s viewpoint.  Imagine the confidence he must have had in God’s plan for him when he started building a gigantic ship in the middle of his property.  Then he had to trust that God was going to work the whole “two of every kind of animal” project out, without anyone eating each other.  Imagine the leadership patience that Noah must have exhibited as all of those creatures were cooped up on that boat for such a long time.  Even when the boat finally struck land, Noah had the patience to wait until he was sure it was safe to venture out before he made a move.  The key is that he used the birds (Raven and then later a dove) to test the environment  before he took action.

There is a lot that can be learned from this activity alone.  Noah listened to God to get his direction on what he needed to do, but then Noah took command of the situation and made sound decisions.  After being in ark for so long, it would have been easy to look for excuses to disembark as early as possible, but it would have been a poor decision.  Noah used tools to give him some understand on when it was the right time to make a move.

How many times have your rushed to a decision, or made a hasty decision, just because you were sick of waiting.  Take a lesson from Noah.  Use the diagnostic tools at your disposal to have some concrete data to help you decide when to move.  Stick to your plan, and have faith in the direction to avoid making rash decisions that could jeopardize the entire operation.

Another lesson that can be learned is to make sure that you surround yourself with a good team.  In this case, Noah was surrounded by his wife, sons, and daughter-in-laws.  Only people who knew each other so well would be able to stand the close quarters for as long as they did.  There is also a bond from family that would make life after the boat possible. 

While you will hopefully never be stranded on an Ark with your team and animals for long periods of time, it is still important to think how your team dynamics will play out in your environment as you choose member to work for you.

The final piece of inspiration that can be taken from this story is that you are never too insignificant to make a huge difference.  Noah was a single man among many.  Yet he and his team were responsible for: 1. Building a colossal floating vessel.  2. Collecting two of every animal without getting eaten.  3. Directing this ship through turbulent times while keeping all of the inhabitants from killing each other.  4. After waiting for the right moment, embarking on re-creating civilization.  Not a bad year’s work for a humble, righteous servant of the Lord.

If Noah can undertake that leadership project with the Lord’s help, what can you do?

Genesis Chapter 4: Cain and Abel. Leadership Lesson: Dealing with jealousy, entitlement and group dynamics

This is the famous story of Cain and Abel.  Abel does what he should by sacrificing his best livestock to the Lord.  Cain tries to "check the box" by giving a sacrifice, but not with his best offering.  Abel gets rewarded with God's favor, while Cain receives God's disapproval for his poor efforts.  Cain was jealous of the recognition that Abel received and so he killed him.  When God found out, he exiled Cain. (Very short summary, remember, you should read the chapter before reading these lessons)

This whole story started off down the wrong path when Cain decided to try to get by without giving his best.  How would the story have been different if Cain would have put in the required effort.

The other opportunity for things to be different, happened when God let Cain know that he realized that the  offering was not sufficient.  If Cain would have taken God's feedback, taken accountability, and promised to improve in the future, he would have prospered in the future.

When I think about people who I have lead, it is easy to draw comparisons.  How many times do people who are "just trying to get by" get jealous of people who are truly doing everything they can to be excellent?  Our best chance is to recognize the "Cain" signs and try to change the outcome.

1. When you hear people make excuses for why another person is successful, a red flag should go up.  If you don't address the comment, you condone it.

2. Like God did with Cain, point out to the person that if they focused on doing their best, the recognition would take care of itself.

3. Check to see if the person takes accountability and commits to change.

4. If there is no sign of contrition for the acts, or willingness to change, or accountability for their actions...Consider taking similar actions to what God took.  Remove the person from the team.  They will continue the same behavior and create an environment on the team that allows excuses for why other succeed, instead of look at themselves and asking "how can we improve?"

Genesis Chapter 2-3 Leadership Lesson: Accountability and Choosing Partners

In Chapter 2 and 3, we learn about the creation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall from grace.  As I try to pull leadership lessons from these chapters, I begin by seeing someone who gives his followers EVERYTHING they need to be happy and successful.  They had full reign of the Garden of Eden!!!  There was only one stipulation...don't eat from ONE tree.  They could eat from anything else in the world, just not from that one tree.  So far, no brainer...but that is where the lesson starts.

Eve comes into contact w/Satanand begins to be "sold" on the benefits of eating the fruit.  He also convinces her that God is rying to keep Adam and Eve from being "all they can be" by keeping them from the fruit.  Isn't it odd that God had done nothing but give to Eve, and never did anything to call her trust into question, yet Eve was so willing to believe this newcomer.  As a leader, you will experience this all of the time.  Some humans have a terrible habit of always wanting to believe the worst scenario about their leaders.

Next, Eve convinces Adam that the snake, who has done nothing to earn their trust, is more concerned about their well being than God.  This may be the first example in history of peer pressure.  There are times, as a leader, that your people will talk themselves into believing incredible things, based on here say and speculation.  If Adam and Eve would have just gone to God to ask him about the situation, he would have been able to help.  Instead, they convinced themselves that the snake was the one they should risk everything to follow.  The big questions as a leader are: How often have I been the unknowing leader that someone is working against?  How often have I been Adam or Eve and made a decision that went againt the trust that had been built with my leader?  and How often have I been the snake, that derailed the trust and leadership that was built by someone else, in order to gain something for myself?

When God finds out about what happened, it is already to late for him to do anything to prevent the bad outcome.  In the original rules, God had told them that if they eat from the tree they would die.  He made a leadership decision to let them live, but they were punished severely.  There have never been two people MORE set up for success and happiness than Adam and Eve, yet they still failed.  Keep this in mind when you encounter people who make mistakes that are against their nature.  Don't give-up on them, just put appropriate consequences in place to make a point.

As leaders:
1. Don't be surprised when your people believe the most far fetched rumors from the least credible sources

2. Keep a close eye on the external influences that impact your team, and address rumors, with fact, as soon as possible.

3. When your people fail, or make poor choices, stay calm and deal with the consequences.  If Adam and Eve can fall from grace, so can we.

4. Your team will usually cover for each other, even if they have to compromise their normal morals to do it.

5. Don't let them "off the hook" when they make a mistake.  Even if they are fantastic people, they still need to be accountable for their actions.  NEVER JUDGE PEOPLE, BUT ALWAYS HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

Genesis Chapter 1 - Leadership Lesson: Planning and Execution

God created the earth in 6 days.  That is quite impressive when you consider all that it entails.  Two things stand out when I try to relate this undertaking to my leadership.
 
1. In order for any large project to work, there needs to be a good plan put in place.  When you begin your plans, spend time considering the sequence in which things need to be done.  What would have happened if deer were created before the land?  Also, give thought to the number, or amount, of something that you need for your plan.  More than one sun would have given global warming a whole new meaning.

2. You need to evaluate your progress regularly.  At the end of each day, God looked @ what he did and said, "It is good."  Ask yourself, "How often do I evaluate my plans?" "Are they any good?" "How do I know?"  "What changes do I need to make?"  When you schedule the time to evaluate, make sure that you have pre-defined goals and milestones that you are comparing against.

3. God understands the need to rest regularly.  In today's society people feel that "more" is "better", but we can learn that if we don't take time to recharge, on a regular basis, our focus and discipline will suffer.  Activity does not equal effectiveness.  Cutting with a sharp knife will accomplish the same task, in a shorter time, then not stopping to sharpen the knife and hacking away with a dull blade.  How often have you made mistakes because you were tired, or just trying to get through something?

While we will never have the opportunity to create a planet in 6 days, the lessons are still there for us to learn... Plan, Evaluate, and Rest/Recover

If you do those three things well, you will be prepared to deal with most of the things that come your way