Better Discernment for Better Leaders

Every day brings a flood of choices: strategic, relational, ethical, and personal.

Two of the most defining responsibilities of leaders are (1) shaping culture and (2) making decisions. How those decisions are made determines not only outcomes, but the kind of leader a person becomes. This is why discernment deserves to be a central theme in spiritual advising. Discernment goes beyond standard decision-making frameworks. While logic, data, and pros-and-cons lists have value, discernment adds another dimension: attentiveness to God’s guidance. It assumes a God who is active, present, and deeply invested in the daily realities of leadership—not just in big moments, but in ordinary and strategic decisions alike. Discernment invites leaders to seek God’s will and to listen with openness and trust.