Seek Wisdom Before You Flop

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." -Proverbs 15:22

In this passage of scripture, Solomon is addressing a major flaw in leadership that many leaders have in the church today.

Solomon understood the importance of a team. He understood, that without a team your plans will fail. Without a team, you may have a successful event, but your plan fails due to inadequate ownership.

He shared, "with many advisers (the plans) succeed", which means the more people you have on board giving guidance and sharing insight into implementation, success will be found.

The advisers bring the success to the plans because they own the plans!

What does this mean to us? When we have our plans in place and they are only in our control, then we are building our own kingdom. We are not allowing others to bring their gifts to the table. God gives wisdom to ALL who ask, not just one. The insight gained by many will help bring greater success beyond the event.

The success found in the event goes far beyond the plan when more people are involved. Here are 3 reasons why:

1) The team members involved in the discussion discover they are valued for more than just being a body to fill a space. They sense that you, as the leader, actually want their input and appreciate what they bring to the group and the ministry.

2) There is a succession plan in place that can be visible. No matter how hard it is to accept, we are not going to be around forever. Also, in ministry, God may call us to a new location or into a new role. We never know what is coming around the corner. The question we should always ask is "If I would die tomorrow, is there someone adequately prepared to take my place?" (I know it's morbid, but it's true).

3) There is more than one owner. As the person doing the leading on a project or program, of course you want it to be successful and everyone to love it. However, if you are the only one with that expectation, then you could be the only one working really hard to make it work. If more people own the program, project, event, etc. the more likely it will be outstanding because those people apart of the team do not want to be marked by a flopping project. They will want to be just as good, if not better, than you would have as an individual doing it by yourself.

Some people worry about job security or being noticed. Trust me, if you choose to have a team of people together who own a project and do it well, together, then you will have job security as a leader and your team will notice you for giving them ownership, showing them you value who they are, and trusting them to fill your shoes.

A leader who is willing to seek advice from a team has already found success beyond measure.

Question: Do you find it hard to work with a team? Why or why not?