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Presented by Lauren Stibgen
How do you start your day? And how do you solve problems that arise? Part of being a good leader is how you prepare and resource yourself. Considering Proverbs 31, what do we learn about being prepared?
Two verses from Proverbs 31 stand out to me.
She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants (Proverbs 31:15).
Sometimes the days seem long, and I know not everyone will wake up early to start their day. However, being a prepared leader will not only help you but will show love and respect also. Planning and being prepared can impact the elusive work/life balance so many people are seeking. As a leader, taking a few minutes in the morning to plan for your day is essential.
Thinking more about providing food for her family and portions for her female servants, we can consider how those who work for us are in our care, just like our family. Whether it is a well-planned meeting or even planning to reach out to team members for a quick check in, a plan helps in their feeding.
The next verse in Proverbs 31 also helps us consider our preparedness.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet (Proverbs 31:21).
How is your team clothed? Let’s think of some examples of what this looks like at work. The pandemic gave us a look at how clothed teams were in their ability to work from anywhere. Some companies shined with their technology and others struggled to get this up and running.
As a leader, how are you clothing your team to be ready if you take time away on vacation? Are work plans communicated with clarity, and are plans in place for someone to cover?
What if one of your key team members suddenly leaves the organization? How is the team clothed to have access to important information like emails or files that will help with workflow?
Taking special care in clothing someone to be prepared for a promotion is another consideration as you lead. Leaders who can help promote or grow other leaders are truly helping prepare their organizations, their subordinates, and themselves for what is next!
Maybe you are listening to these examples and thinking you have a little fear for your work household! Wake up early and start making a list of how you can best prepare to clothe your team today and for future growth!