Leadership Lessons from the 30 Precepts of The Sages
I have the habit of reading a Proverb a day (works out nice since there are 31 Proverbs and at most 31 days in a month!). I have found throughout the years that no matter how many times I may read a Proverb, I always discover something new.
As I was reading this month, the thirty Precepts of the Sages stood out to me (Proverbs: 22:17 to 24:22). These precepts are sound pieces of advice no matter how you look at them, after all they are in Proverbs and associated with Sages (wise philosophers known for making sound judgments). When looked at from a business leadership perspective, they can be very helpful and applicable even in today’s fast paced environment. The following is my own translation of the precepts through my career/business eyes.
- Don’t take advantage of people to get yourself ahead, in the end you will lose.
- Negativity is contagious, so stay away from negative people. (Much like Passion is contagious - so be PASSIONATE!)
- Be sure to consider all aspects before making a deal, don’t put yourself into debt because if you fail to pay you will lose it all.
- Maintain integrity and honor deals made even if they have been made in the past.
- Highly skilled people are hard to find and should be held onto if at all possible.
- Always remember who you are talking to no matter where you are.
- Don’t burn yourself out, we all need rest and refreshment at some point.
- Be careful with gifts from people with hidden motives, better to not accept them as it could burn you in the end.
- Don’t argue with people who just like to argue, it’s not worth your time.
- Never cheat or be dishonest with people even if you can, those you trample on will be avenged.
- Be disciplined and learn new things as often as possible.
- When someone makes a mistake or does something wrong, confront them and make them aware.. they will never learn if they do not know.
- When those around you are wise, you will be happy so surround yourself with wise people!
- Don’t envy those who have no integrity despite who they may be, follow your principles and your future will be bright.
- Everything in moderation, those who overindulge will always live in mediocrity.
- Respect those who have mentored and coached you, remember what they taught you and continue to always seek advice from those around you.
- Keep your guard up when it comes to relationships, choose wisely, being in a relationship with the wrong person is fatal.
- Those with a victim mentality will never get ahead unless they stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for their own actions.
- Be on your guard, some people really are evil, stay away from them!
- A successful business is started on wisdom, established through understanding and kept running smoothly through knowledge.
- An understanding of the big picture paired with good advice is critical for success.
- When you are in a serious meeting, make sure those who are in the meeting are the right people.
- If you put plans into place without integrity, it will eventually become public knowledge and no one will be able to trust you again.
- Tough times will show one’s true character.
- No action can be just as bad as negative action, ignorance is no excuse for failing to act when you know you should have.
- The attainment of wisdom needs to be at the top of your list, it is critical to secure your future.
- A winner will continue to bounce back and try again after a failure while a loser falls once and stays down.
- Don’t become arrogant and gloat about a success over an adversary, that may come back to bite you in the end.
- Do not worry about what negative people may be doing or saying, they have no future and will not last.
- Respect God and those in authority over you, be careful what groups you get involved with, make sure they are always on the up and up.
Proverbs rocks!
