OPINION ( Charisma) – Unfortunately, in every level and realm of life, we have all witnessed serious leadership failure. It is no longer a surprise when we read about a high-level pastor, celebrity, sports figure or politician who has been disgraced because of ethical or moral failure.  As one who has worked with many struggling church and marketplace leaders on a very personal level since I began serving the body of Christ apostolically in the early 1990s, I have made the following observations regarding warning signs before a fall—which I teach to younger leaders so they will avoid the mistakes of the present generation of many leaders. All of us have fallen into one of the following in a particular way, shape or form. Hopefully, we will have learned the hard leadership lessons of life so we can pass on wisdom to the next generation. Here are seven warning signs that precede leadership failure:

1. Busyness: Often before falling, a leader will cram so much into his or her schedule for a prolonged amount of time that they don’t get enough time for personal renewal and rest. Much activity doesn’t necessarily mean kingdom productivity. When a person is constantly running around from meeting to meeting, from state to state and from event to event without seeking God and personal times for reflection, they do violence to their soul. They will eventually be operating on willpower and fumes instead of the Spirit of God. This can lead to them being tempted to escape from the pressure of life with adulterous relationships, pornography, excess entertainment or foolish endeavors. CONTINUE