As leaders, a situation can come up seemingly from nowhere, which attempts to thwart one’s telling of truth. Leadership must be willing to make the difficult decision to tell the truth in all situations. Followers may desire to hear an “alternate truth,” but speaking truth is a foundation block of all good leaders. People tend to desire to have their ego’s carressed, but organizational growth cannot excel when falsities are being passed as truth. Gaining insight from other’s is important, but nothing can replace the truth.
Jesus had the same choice to appease the crowd of disciples or to speak the truth in John 6:66-71. He easily spoke the truth, even though his followers were complaining. He eventually lost many of his disciples who began to realize Jesus was a leader who presented only truth, no matter how harsh that truth might be. He questioned his group of his twelve closest disciples and asked if they would also leave him, but they stayed knowing Jesus was speaking
“the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68, NLT, 1996).
Remember, leadership always speaks truth!
