Leading with Integrity

Anyone who knows me is aware that I spend a lot of time studying leadership and advocate for strong leadership from pastors and lay leaders. I've just finished a book that was published in 2010, but I just got around to reading it. Actually, it's been in my to-read stack for over a year, but I kept ignoring it to read books I thought might be better. I wish I had not done that. Leading with Integrity: The 28 Essential Leadership Strategies of Solomon by Pat Williams is an excellent book that studies leadership through the life and writings of Solomon.

Williams is Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, author and motivational speaker. He has spent his adult life involved in professional sports and uses many examples from his experiences and those of well-known athletes to illustrate how Solomon's insights apply to the things leaders face today. Since I am such a sports fan, I really enjoyed reading the stories of some of these players and coaches.

The book of Proverbs contains a lot of wisdom, but for me it has not been the easiest book to understand. During my pastoral ministry I did not preach many sermons out of Proverbs. I wish I had. The author made some of the passages in that book come alive for me in a way they had not before.

Everything rises and falls on leadership. No organization can rise any higher than the lid of its leadership. This is why I am convinced that pastors must be strong leaders of their churches. Strong leadership allows the church to rise higher and accomplish more for the Kingdom of God. However, some mistake strong leadership with dictatorial leadership. Adolf Hitler was a strong leader. So was Joseph Stalin and Jim Jones. None of these three led with integrity. They led through intimidation destroying anything and anyone who dared stand in their way.

The type of strong leadership the church needs is one marked with integrity in everything the leader does. Leaders with integrity love those they lead. They speak the truth in every situation. They don't cut corners or compromise their ethical values to accomplish their goals. They control their emotions and build moral firewalls into their life to protect them from temptations. They are focused on victory, not for their glory but for the glory of God, and they are focused on transforming the lives of the people they serve.

Williams addresses each of the things I listed, and more, in this book. He gives a biblical basis for each one as well, all from the book of Proverbs.

This would make a great book for the leaders of a church to study together. It would also be an excellent book for a small group to explore. There are follow-up questions at the end of each of the 28 chapters that would enable a good discussion of the book in such groups.