King Rehoboam's dysfunctional leadership split the nation of Israel in two. His hunger for power, unreasonable demands, poor decision-making, and lack of compassion for those who worked under him all conspired to doom his leadership. But probably the root of his problem can be found in 2 Chronicles 10:15: "So the king did not listen to the people..."

Listening is one of the 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Leaders must listen for two reasons:

1. to connect with others, and
2. to learn from others.

President Woodrow Wilson said, "The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people." What's more, a good leader encourages followers to tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to hear. Sometimes, 50 percent of your leadership involves simple listening. So why did Rehoboam fail at this simple task?

1. Narrow Vision - The people promised to serve him if he lightened their load; he didn't see it.
2. Poor Decision-making Skills - He wavered on what to do about their request and told them to come back later.
3. Self-centered Focus - He rejected wise counsel because it didn't align with his desires.
4. Demanding and Impatient Style - He promised to make life tougher, not easier, for his people.

We learn from King Rehoboam the difference between "hearing" and "listening." Hearing is a function of the ears; the king heard all the spoken words. Listening, however, is a function of the will; leaders listen to connect and to learn. Rehoboam failed to do both, as he refused to listen to history, his followers, the wise counsel of his staff, and to God.

Certainly, we cannot listen to everyone - far too many opposing voices and views cry out for that. So to whom should leaders be listening? Listen especially well to the following:

1. Your Followers - Good leaders take the time to get to know each team member as a person.
2. Your Customers - Good leaders make it a priority to keep in contact with those they serve.
3. Your Competitors - Good leaders don't imitate the competition; they listen to learn from the encounter.
4. Your Mentors - No leader can afford to be without a mentor's insight.
5. Your Inner Circle - Leaders must listen to those closest to them to gauge the organization's pulse.

Finding inspiration and a trusted advisor helps you listen and draw on your own wisdom to make decisions. It can be challenging to find that you are just taking others' input, so find a way to really listen and make your decisions reflect the wisdom you've applied from what you've learned from all the ways you've listened. Another devotional post of John Maxwell.

2 Chronicles 10:15

¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.