Discretion
So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode… And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work. – Nehemiah 2:11-12,16
Discretion is another lesson to be learned from Nehemiah’s leadership example. He was not given to blabbing. He kept his intentions close to his heart and did not announce his mission to anyone in Jerusalem when he got there. Even when his plan was very clear and he knew what he was going to do, nobody in the land was any wise about them.
The only person that knew why he embarked on the long journey from Persia to Jerusalem was king Artaxerxes, and probably those in his court who knew when Nehemiah was departing. This means his intentions were only known to those that matter, not every Tom, Dick and Harry.
As simple as this may sound, this is a very important leadership lesson. In this age of social media, it is difficult to keep things secret for long, particularly as everyone is trying to outdo the other in terms of having a say on the social media. This makes it difficult for leaders to be discreet. Even when they are, the threat of mischief makers and leaks would make it hard enough to manage certain information that are not meant for public consumption from going viral. This underscores the importance of discretion for any leader.
Apart from sharing sensitive information, discretion will also guide a leader to know who to have both in their circle as well as kitchen cabinet, and in ensuring that such people are men and women of character, wisdom and maturity as to be trusted with sensitive information not meant for everyone’s ears. Why does a leader need to be discreet? Because there is always the threat of sabotage and resistance to every good idea. That is why some initiatives are best kept secret, particularly when they are still in the development stage until they are ready to be made public.
Nehemiah demonstrated that he mastered the art of discretion so well as he did not even put the people he came to serve in confidence as to why he came to their territory. His burden and care for them were not enough to make him impulsive by divulging his agenda to them as a way of seeking popularity and acceptance among them. No, he was matured enough to keep his plan to himself until the time was right.
This is a classic lesson in leadership that every leader ought to imbibe. The pull of the times should not make you abandon reason and disclose ideas that are not yet fully developed to unprepared ears. That may derail the implementation altogether or cause unnecessary resistance which may result in slow actualization or a full halt altogether. As a leader, you need to borrow a leaf from Nehemiah and be versed in information management.
You Will Succeed in Jesus Name!
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