Prominent characteristics of good leadership include such things as honesty, integrity, initiative, vision, and positive attitude. Though traits such as these are influential in assisting you as a leader, I want to bring your attention toward one all-encompassing attribute that leverages all of these. Think about the ability to communicate.

Effective communication does not lie solely within the parameters of eloquence and articulation. Powerful communication comes directly from the words we choose to use.

God gives us many insights to direct us in how we communicate. Let us highlight a few of those. Consider:

• Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death.
• James 1:19 exhorts us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
• The entire passage of James 3:1-11 addresses the importance of taming the tongue.

Would it be a fair assumption to say that all of us at one time or another have spoken in a manner which we later regretted?

Our words have a much farther reaching impact than we tend to realize. A careless quip to a child such as “no one wants to hear what you have to say right now” can create lasting scars. A thoughtless response like “you could have done better than that” can be more discouraging than encouraging.

God’s challenge for us is straightforward in His words to “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” When we apply this precept to how we communicate, it leads us to understand how our words impact every arena of our leadership.

As you go about this day, meditate upon Proverbs 12:18 which says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

A surgeon and a warrior use similar tools. One brings life while the other brings death. The difference is in how the tool is wielded. Let your words be wielded like a trained surgeon, bringing life and healing.

When your words bring healing, you have spoken like a true leader. When your words encourage, build-up, guide, and cast vision, you have spoken like a true leader. When your words properly lead someone to carefully cut out the destructive influences in their life without causing other injury, you have spoken like a true leader.

Be a leader and speak life into someone today.

Gary R. Linn