Every leader can learn from the costly mistakes of King Solomon. The king of Israel left nothing untried in his attempt to give his life meaning. Whether with alcohol or "build, build, build the house," whether with gardening or livestock, women or servants, silver or gold, nothing produced the desired effect for the king. In the end, everything was meaningless.
Solomon achieved an incredible level of success and yet felt empty. He had no focus. He searched left and right, forward and backward, and experimented with every possible goal and method, but was never satisfied. He tried to solve an internal problem with external things.
An old proverb says: if you try to catch two rabbits, both will end up escaping. This applies to Solomon as well. What lessons can be drawn from Solomon's life?
- He pursued too many different goals at the same time.
- He pursued the wrong goals to meet his needs.
- He found that none of it accomplished anything.
- He despaired because he had not figured out what he truly wanted.
Solomon may well have changed his focus, and it took him an entire lifetime and an entire book to arrive at this realization. (cf. Ecclesiastes 12)
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
What really matters.
In the end he found out what really matters. The following thoughts help leaders avoid making the same mistake as Solomon: What is the focus? How are key decisions made? Are there defined ways to keep from losing focus, based on what really counts? The leader can decide where to invest their time, energy, and resources.
- Does this fit my priorities?
- Does this fit my competence?
- Could someone else do this better?
- What do the people I trust say about it?
- Do I even have time for this?
When a leader says "YES" to something, they are also saying "YES" to focus. They create to-do lists and plans to bring the matter to success. They set priorities and avoid clutter. They pursue excellence and avoid perfectionism. They ask deep questions and avoid unnecessary delay. They use their calendar and keep their activities under control. They never try to do everything themselves, and so they say "NO" at the right points.
- They say NO to the task, not to the person.
- They respond in a way that puts the interests of the person asking front and center.
- They suggest a creative alternative.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
The Vanity of Pleasure and of Labor
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.