A Good Leader’s Finest 2 Attributes

“Love and truth form a good leader;

sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.”

~Proverbs 20:28 (Msg)

The world so wants for good leadership these days. And although we deplore the apparent lack, there are still plenty of good leadership examples; those that exemplify love and truth and the preponderance of loving integrity.

The original context of Proverbs 20:28 highlights the leadership demeanour of the King. The King, or Queen, is the epitome of leadership. It is their royal role.

And yet we work for, or must satisfy, many kings and queens in our lives. Indeed, we may even be one. If we are a supervisor of any kind—a parent or mentor or boss—we have not just the authority of leadership but the responsibility, too.

What dictates our success most of all is our application of love and truth, or, put another way, the loving integrity we bring to the role.

Two Attributes That Make for Inspirational Leadership

If we can combine love and truth within the context of leadership we do then have loving integrity as a modus operandi.

As a result the leader with loving integrity is easily trusted and therefore respected. People want to walk an extra mile for this type of leader, as they compare many former crooked and ill-adept leaders with this fine and shining example.

Inspirational leadership, through the mode of loving integrity, is rare.

It is what we should aspire to if we provide any sense of leadership anywhere in life. And it is simple to do if we are selfless. With the implicit courage of our convictions our love of the truth passes the test of integrity. Yet all of what we do is tempered never less by love.

Never do two attributes, if we can only have two, contribute more to our leadership than the combination of truth and love. They will work together by techniques of wisdom. By courage loving integrity is known. And these two attributes conspire beautifully with faith to produce hope.

Leadership is an opportunity of learning. Where we are confounded by poor examples of leadership we ought to more solemnly laud the splendid leaders we have had. Where we are blessed to be led well, presently, we enjoy it, being thankful for it.

We should never take good leadership for granted, but inevitably, like for all good things, we do. Only when good leadership evaporates into the ether do we begin to lament the directionless falsity that redeems scandal after scandal.

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Loving integrity sets the best leaders apart. Of all qualities this is the one they own. Oh, what we would give to work for a good leader. Oh, what it would be to be a good leader. Love and truth make a good leader. Loving integrity is their way.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.