It was a boxing fan’s dream. On May 25, 1965, Muhammad Ali stepped into the ring against the formidable Sonny Liston. At stake: the Heavyweight Championship Of The World. People who came to see an epic battle went home disappointed. Ali landed a knockout punch and disposed of Liston before the bell ended the first round.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all the leadership challenges you face could be knocked out in the first round?
Leaders pray . . . the smart ones do anyway! That is one lesson I learn from Nehemiah. When it came to vision, mission, and values — the holy trinity of the corporate world — Nehemiah could write the book. He knew where he was going, how to get there, and how to get people on board. But what set him apart was prayer!
When I hear the word “leadership,” I envision a teacher in front of the classroom, a coach directing practice, a quarterback rallying his team, a soldier leading an assault, a pastor teaching his people, a business owner building her company, or a president addressing a nation.
This is the public side of leadership. It is up front and vocal. But we must not forget the leader’s quiet work. Nehemiah demonstrated this quiet side of leadership. Studying his life we seven aspects of the leader’s work that must be done in stillness and silence:
