Leadership Lessons from Jonah’s Story

1. The Call of Jonah – Running from Responsibility

• Story: God gave Jonah a clear mission: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.” Nineveh was brutal and violent—Israel’s enemy—and Jonah wanted no part of it. Instead of leaning into the calling, he booked passage on a ship going in the exact opposite direction. He wasn’t just saying “no” to a task; he was running from responsibility, purpose, and God’s plan. Where did he run? Tarshish: a wealthy, far-off port city, symbolizing escape, avoidance, and distraction.

• Leadership Lesson: Every leader will face moments when the mission feels too hard, unpopular, or uncomfortable. The temptation is to run—to avoid the tough decision, to pass the responsibility, to delay the hard work. But leadership doesn’t shrink from calling—it embraces it.

• Reality: A manager of a new business start-up knows the companies’ culture is becoming toxic but stays silent to avoid conflict. Like Jonah, they’re on a “ship to Tarshish,” trying to escape the responsibility of truth and purpose. Eventually, the avoidance will catch up.

2. The Storm – The Cost of Leadership Avoidance

• Story: As Jonah fled, God hurled a violent storm at the sea. The sailors panicked, throwing cargo overboard to stay afloat. Eventually, Jonah admitted: “I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” His personal disobedience had corporate consequences.

• Leadership Lesson: Leaders do not lead in isolation. A leader’s decisions—or indecisions—have ripple effects. When a leader runs from responsibility, the “storm” doesn’t just batter them; it batters their people.

• Reality: A CEO’s financial shortcuts create instability, forcing employees into uncertainty. A father’s absence leaves children vulnerable. Like Jonah, when leaders drift from integrity, others are forced to suffer in the storm.

3. The Fish – The Leader’s Reset

• Story: Jonah was thrown overboard, certain he was finished. But instead of drowning, God sent a great fish to swallow him. For three days and nights, Jonah sat in darkness—praying, reflecting, repenting. What seemed like a grave became a place of transformation. He entered defiant and fearful; he emerged realigned and willing.

• Leadership Lesson: Leaders need “belly of the fish” moments—those seasons of failure, burnout, or crisis that strip away pride and force them to face themselves. The darkness isn’t punishment; it’s preparation. It’s the reset leaders need to return stronger.

• Reality: A burned-out executive finally steps away, thinking their career is over. In the quiet, with wise counsel, they rediscover their purpose and return with clarity and humility. The “fish” isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of a new season of leadership.

4. Nineveh – The Power of Obedience

• Story: Once freed from the fish, Jonah finally obeyed. He walked into Nineveh and declared, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” To his shock, the people—from the king to the commoner—repented. An entire city turned because one reluctant leader finally stepped into his assignment.

• Leadership Lesson: Leaders don’t have to be flawless or fearless to create impact—they just need to show up in obedience. When leaders deliver truth with courage and integrity, transformation follows.

• Reality: A team leader, hesitant to challenge the status quo, finally steps up and casts a new vision. The organization begins to shift because one voice of courage disrupted complacency. Like Jonah, reluctant obedience can still unlock massive change.

5. The Plant – The Test of Compassion

• Story: After Nineveh repented, Jonah was furious that God spared them. He wanted justice, not mercy. So he sulked outside the city, waiting to see if destruction would come. God provided a plant to shade Jonah, which pleased him, but then sent a worm to destroy it. Jonah mourned the plant more than the people. God confronted him: “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people…?”

• Leadership Lesson: Jonah’s story didn’t end with obedience—it ended with a heart check. Leadership isn’t just about executing a mission; it’s about aligning your heart with the well-being of people. True leadership requires compassion, not just compliance.

• Reality: A manager is thrilled about hitting quarterly goals (the plant), but grows bitter when a team member gets promoted. God’s question to Jonah is the same for leaders today: Do you care more about your own comfort than the people you’re called to serve?

Closing Takeaway

Jonah’s journey walks leaders through the full cycle:

• The Call: Will you embrace responsibility or run from it?

• The Storm: Will you recognize how your choices affect others?

• The Fish: Will you let crisis refine and realign you?

• Nineveh: Will you step into obedience even when it’s hard?

• The Plant: Will you lead with compassion, not just control?

Leadership truth in one line: Great leaders aren’t just obedient to the mission—they’re compassionate toward the people.

5 Timeless Principles Every Great Leader Lives By

Leadership isn’t about a job title or the corner office—it’s about the standard you set when no one is watching. Over the last year, I’ve learned that leadership is less about position and more about principles. You can lead a team of one or a team of a thousand, but the way you carry yourself will always set the tone for the people around you.

The truth is, we all know leaders who carried impressive titles but failed to earn true respect. And we’ve all met people with no title at all who inspired us by the way they showed up every single day. That’s why leadership has to be built on something deeper than authority. It has to be built on principles.

Here are five timeless principles that will never go out of style.

1. Clarity of Vision

A leader who doesn’t know where they’re going will never inspire others to follow. Vision cuts through the noise. It brings focus when things get messy and keeps the team aligned when challenges hit.

Think about the best leaders in history. They didn’t just give instructions—they painted a picture of the future. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t stand up and say, “Here’s my 10-step plan.” He said, “I have a dream.” That dream gave people something worth pursuing.

As a leader, your vision doesn’t need to be dramatic, but it does need to be clear. Ask yourself:

• Can I explain where we’re going in one sentence?

• Do the people around me know why we’re doing this, not just what we’re doing?

If your answer is “no,” then start refining your vision today.

2. Consistency of Action

Trust is built in the small, repeated actions—not in one big speech or performance. When people know they can count on you to show up, follow through, and keep your word, that’s when real influence is established.

Think about the coaches, mentors, or bosses who left an impression on you. It wasn’t the one-time pep talk that stuck—it was the fact that they were steady, reliable, and didn’t waver when things got hard.

Consistency is what separates leaders people respect from leaders people simply tolerate. It’s easy to show up strong on your best day. It’s much harder to show up with the same energy on your worst day. But that’s what great leadership requires.

Reflection question: Where in my life do I need to be more consistent so others can count on me?

3. Courage in Decision-Making

Leadership will always demand tough calls. Playing it safe rarely moves anyone forward. The best leaders don’t wait until the perfect moment—they step into uncertainty, evaluate what they know, and choose with courage.

Here’s the reality: indecision kills momentum. Waiting until you have every detail figured out is just another form of fear. Teams want leaders who are willing to step up and say, “This is the direction. Let’s go.”

Does this mean you’ll get it right every time? Absolutely not. But courage isn’t about always being right—it’s about being willing to lead when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. People will forgive a leader who made a wrong call faster than they will forgive a leader who made no call at all.

Ask yourself: Am I hesitating on a decision right now that requires courage instead of comfort?

4. Care for People

No mission succeeds without people. Numbers matter, but people matter more. The leaders who last are the ones who invest in relationships, listen before they speak, and put their team’s growth ahead of their own ego.

I’ve seen talented leaders lose everything because they treated people as tools to get the job done. The mission might move forward for a little while, but eventually, people check out. On the other hand, leaders who genuinely care build loyalty that money can’t buy.

One of the best questions you can ask as a leader is: How can I make sure the people around me know they are valued?Sometimes that means listening more. Sometimes it means giving opportunities for growth. And sometimes it just means saying “thank you.”

Because here’s the truth: if people don’t feel valued, they won’t value the mission.

5. Commitment to Growth

Leaders who stop growing eventually stop leading. The world changes fast—and so do the people you’re responsible for. If you aren’t sharpening your skills, seeking feedback, and raising your own standards, you’ll get stuck.

The best leaders I know are learners at heart. They read. They ask questions. They admit when they’re wrong and adjust quickly. They don’t see growth as an event—they see it as a lifestyle.

If you want your team, your family, or your company to grow, it has to start with you. You can’t expect others to level up if you’re comfortable staying the same.

Reflection question: What’s one area of leadership I need to intentionally grow in this season?

Final Thought

Leadership isn’t complicated, but it is costly. It demands clarity, consistency, courage, care, and commitment. The good news? These aren’t traits you’re either born with or without. They’re principles you can practice every single day.

When you choose to live by them, you’re not just leading people—you’re building a standard that will outlive your role.

The Leadership House: Building on Rock, Not Sand

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to look successful on the outside while quietly falling apart on the inside?
I’ve lived it. I’ve worn the smile, hit the goals, carried the title—but behind the scenes, my foundation was cracking.

Jesus paints this picture in Matthew 7:24–27

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand…”

Leadership is a lot like building a house.

1. The Foundation – What People Don’t See

This is your character, your faith, your discipline when no one is looking. It’s the prayer before the day begins, the habits you protect, the private battles you fight and win.
If your foundation is weak, the whole structure eventually gives way.

Reflection question: What daily habit is strengthening—or weakening—your foundation right now?

2. The Walls – How People Experience You

The walls are your relationships, your interactions, the way your family, team, or community feels when they’re around you.
Strong walls can’t stand for long if the foundation is cracked. But when the base is solid, the walls bring shelter and safety to others.

Reflection question: How are people experiencing your leadership this week?

3. The Roof – Titles, Goals, Image

The roof is what the world sees—your title, achievements, reputation, even the highlight reel on social media.
But a roof without a foundation is an illusion. A gust of wind and it’s gone.

Reflection question: Have you been more focused on building the roof than strengthening the foundation?

Where’s Your House Built?

The truth is, storms come for everyone. Leadership doesn’t exempt us—it exposes us. And when the winds blow, the strength of your foundation will decide whether you stand or collapse.

This Week’s Challenge

Take a hard look at your leadership house.

• Name one area of your foundation that’s built on sand.

• Commit to one new habit that sets it on rock.

Don’t wait for the storm to rebuild. Start today.

Before you go…
The call isn’t perfection—it’s willingness.
Willingness to be honest. Willingness to realign. Willingness to rebuild.

When you lead from the inside out, your house won’t just stand—it will shelter others, too.

Learn to Lead Yourself Before Leading Others – Part Two

Leadership is not a one-time event — it’s a continual process of how you empower, direct, and trust either yourself or others. And I’ve found this to be true: if you want to be a great leader to others, you must first become a great leader to yourself.

In Part 1 of this series, I shared disciplines and habits to help you build a foundational framework for leading yourself well. But leadership is multi-faceted. It’s not just about what you do — it’s rooted in who you are. To truly own leadership, you must know who you are.

Now, you might be thinking:
"Will, I already know who I am."
But if a stranger walked up to you today and asked, “Who are you?” — what would your response be?

Too often, we reply with what we do, not who we are.

We are human beings, not human doers. And to lead well, we must lead from the inside out. That starts with knowing your identity — beyond your job title, your performance, or your public image.

Below are three non-negotiable pillars you must be absolutely clear on if you want to lead others with integrity, clarity, and purpose:

1) Identity: Who am I?

Your identity doesn’t come from your past, your paycheck, or your pain. It comes from the One who made you — God.

Until you surrender to His plan and understand your assignment and purpose, you’ll lead from a place of insecurity, ego, or exhaustion.

I spent years exhausted — bouncing from job to job, chasing money, thinking success was about status. I had no idea I even had a specific calling on my life.

Our culture glorifies hustle, but the more money-focused an idea becomes, the further disconnected it is from God and your soul.

True identity is rooted in love, and lived out through service to others. I’ve found this to be true: your identity is often revealed in your gift — something you’re naturally good at — used to bless others.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world.”
That means don’t put your identity in things that are temporary. When the money, fitness, or job title fades — will you still know who you are?

Love, compassion, and service will always remain.
Genesis 1:28 reminds us to “be fruitful and multiply.” The seed — your God-given purpose — is already within you. Water it, tend it, and use it to lead others with love and truth.

2) Integrity: What do I stand for?

Weak personal values will always bleed into how you lead others.
Ask yourself: Can I clearly list five values I live by daily?

One of the greatest traits of competence is clarity. If you don’t know what you stand for, how can you lead with confidence? Without that foundation, you’ll constantly drift.

Here are seven integrity checkpoints to reflect on:

1. Moral principles

2. Honesty

3. Consistency

4. Character

5. Trustworthiness

6. Ethical decision-making

7. Accountability

Leadership starts with self-honesty. Where are you compromising? What values do you need to revisit?

3) Intentionality: Am I leading or just drifting?

Many people are “busy” — but few are intentional.
Fake busy work can give a false sense of accomplishment and distract you from leading higher.

You may be checking boxes — but are those boxes mission-driven?

Becoming intentional takes self-control and focus. Ask yourself:

• What’s distracting me daily?

• When do I self-distract instead of finding stillness?

• Am I afraid to commit in case I fall short?

That was me for a long time. I wouldn’t commit because I feared failure.
Truth is: I still wrestle with this. But I’ve learned to get intentional by setting aside time each week to plan around my mission and realign my goals accordingly.

The busier life gets, the less you can afford to carry everything. Choose wisely what you hold onto.

I ask myself this weekly:
“Is what I’m choosing this week moving me toward my mission or pulling me further away?”

Take 20 minutes every Sunday to reflect and reset. You'll be amazed how much progress you can make with a simple map and some clear intention.

Final Thought: Leadership Starts With You

Leading yourself before leading others is not optional — it’s vital.

Don’t get so wrapped up in your title or performance that you forget the responsibility you carry. People are watching, following, and trusting you. Don’t lead them poorly because you failed to lead yourself.

This is your permission — to do better, to feel better, and to lead better.

God bless.
— Will Ashby

Learn To Lead Yourself Before Leading Others; Part One.

Leadership. What is it? Are we born with it? Can we learn it? Can we get better at it if we can learn it? These are all questions I had about leadership from a young age. Most of my life the only idea of leadership I had was someone who tells others to do something and that it was definitely a trait we were born with. Imagine, 28 years of life with this belief and then coming to find out this was all not true. The truth? We are each at some point DAILY leading someone or some thing.

Before being a great leader to others, we must first become a great leader of ourselves. Why? Because how you lead others will be a direct reflection of how you lead yourself. If you are reactive to problems you face in your personal life, you will be reactive to problems you face within your family or at your workplace. How you do anything is how you do everything. 

Keep in mind, I was unable to lead myself for a majority of my life but after self awareness, consistent work and a striving for truth I went on to lead over 100 employees at an organizational level and if I could do that, you can do it too!  "How do I become a great leader to myself?" you may be wondering. You may think it's some BIG change you make and it automatically comes, but it's not. It is actually a compound of small things over time. These things are called disciplines or habits. We all have small habits, right down to brushing your teeth. How you have put your personal hygiene on autopilot without noticing is a habit, you can do the same for your leadership. Listed below are some habits I intentionally do daily that help me lead myself, while giving me self confidence that I can lead. These habits have changed my life, and they have the power to do the same for you!

• Fitness- This small habit daily changed my life overall, while contributing to leading myself better. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Yes. Working out will force you to become disciplined with your time and energy management. When you are able to manage your time (we all get the same 24 hours so leave behind the limiter of 'I don't have enough time') you will begin to manage your time more effectively in other areas of your life. Working out your body will also give you MORE energy (crazy right) because a major powerhouse of energy for our body is stored in our muscles. Fitness will also require you to become more disciplined with your nutrition. To consistently work out, you will have to upgrade what you are taking in and limit what you're taking in now that is not giving you energy. Fitness alone is not just one habit, it's a collection. Few things in life are more powerful to your self confidence and self worth than knowing you can lead yourself into a healthier state physically.

• Take in more information- through reading or podcasts. Set a discipline of listening to a podcast or reading a book in an area you want to improve on for 15 minutes a day. Compound this over a year and you can see how much more information you'll gain, apply and the results that can come with it. I spent hours a week learning about leadership through books and podcasts and I still do because leadership is not a destination, it's an ongoing process and I am always looking for an edge or an idea that will make me an even more effective leader. This will help you lead yourself towards self improvement, because the harsh truth is if the current ‘you’ had the ability to achieve all that you want, you would have already achieved it.

• Do one uncomfortable action a week- meaning do something that scares you or makes you feel uncomfortable. You don't have to do it by yourself, include friends or family in the action. It could be a sport you have always wanted to try but were afraid of being the 'rookie' at, or were scared of looking like an idiot. Maybe it's an improv or acting class. If you've had an interest in doing something new, try it. This discipline alone will bring you more courage to lead yourself because once you overcome the fear, you will realize it actually wasn't that scary and want to conquer more!

Try a few of these habits and disciplines and reflect on your progress weekly. You are not going to see exponential growth in the first week by the way, it happens over time (hints why God gave us the concept of sowing and reaping with crops), it's the exact same truth, just with ourselves, not a plant in the ground. 

Overcome your fears, God has a life planned for you on the other side of discomfort. Check back next week for the second half of Learn To Lead Yourself Before Leading Others Part 2. God bless.