WK$4$ Collaboration: Devotional

Please read the following scriptures.

Proverbs $11$:$14,$ Proverbs $14$:$12,$ Mark $10$:$45,$Philippians $2$:$3-4,$ James $4$:$13-15$

This week we will look at the strategy and leadership required for succeeding in international business. To that end, Scripture reminds us that we are, on the one hand, to work hard and with diligence, and on the other hand, to not do so in self$-$sufficiency and arrogance. That is a difficult line to walk. Both laziness and perfectionism are evidence of sin and self$-$absorption$.$ Either we sit back passively and fall into laziness, or we strive, and manipulate, and scheme, seeking to create our own plans independent of submission to the Word of God and God$$s will.

To lead well requires a humble surrender to God. An extension of that humility is$,$ in turn, a servant$$s heart towards others, just as Christ demonstrated when He walked among us$.$ Organizational planning and leadership can and should also be based upon these principles. When leaders and organizations make time to gather feedback from team members$$people in the trenches who might have good, detailed information about how policies will impact basic organizational processes and relations with customers, leaders do well to set up processes to engender that type of feedback. Further, leaders who make it routine to love and care for employees will find that people are much more engaged and supportive of the organization and the leader.

Finally, while any successful business $($or individual, for that matter$)$ does well to look at all manner of financial data, trends, statistics, etc., when it comes to making informed decisions and plans, the wise organization$/$person knows first to put hope in the Lord of the future$$the One who alone knows what is really going to happen and how. Making that the first step in any type of decision making ensures that decisions are made with humility and true insight.

Can you give an example of a leader who demonstrated strong leadership while still serving God humbly and obediently?

Present your thoughts about the relevance of this devotional to our anticipated learning this week in the discussion forum.