Proverbs 16:13
Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.
Leaders MUST value people that are honest and speak the truth.
However, one of the things I always say is that a leader cannot listen to everybody…but the “somebody’s” that he/she does listen to MUST be willing to speak unfiltered truth in love.
With that in mind here are the qualities I believe a leader should always be looking for…someone who is…
Trustworthy - Can you trust the person who is speaking truth to you? Have they, over time, demonstrated a consistant love for Jesus, for His church and for you? A leader should ALWAYS listen to people they trust—period.
Respectable - I have found that it is nearly impossible to listen to people you do not respect. So, with that in mind take a look at the people you have around you…do you respect their CHARACTER (incredibly important) and their COMPETENCE level? (It is REALLY sad when leaders who purposefully surround themselves with people they feel superior to in regards to competence. If you are always positioning yourself to be the smartest person in the room then you either struggle with pride, insecurity…OR BOTH!) Even if someone doesn’t know me that well…I have always found myself still listening to people whom I respect.
Understanding - A leader should always listen to someone who understands the entire situation. People who take shots at you because they heard a rumor about you or have based their opinion off of a 30 second soundbite that was taken out of context should simply be ignored. However, someone who comes to you in love with a desire for a sincere understanding of something you said or a decision you made is someone that you should definitely listen to.
This is, in no way, a complete list…but, just wanted to share these three characteristics.