An adviser is one who counsels on a subject which may be private or professional. It is giving guidance, recommending, directing, educating, on a subject or person. It involves information about an issue or person, whether positive or negative.
Merriam –Webster dictionary describes it as giving an opinion or suggestion about what should be done.
This is offering personal or official or professional counsel about a person or an issue to someone or an organization or a nation.
A leader cannot afford to be void of counsel. There are good, and evil counsel. Every purpose is established by counsel. Where there is no counsel, the people fall and purposes are disappointed. But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14.
Leaders should watch out for evil counsel that can destroy a whole nation, family, organization or an individual. Ahithophel gave bad counsel in 2 Samuel 17:7-14 while Hushai gave good counsel. The leader in this case is to decide which to follow.
Leaders should try not to forsake the good advice of the older and experienced members of their teams. In 2 Kings 12:8-14 the king chose bad advice over good advice. Doing the opposite of good counsel is preferring evil counsel, and this portrays foolishness. Wise counsellors are expedient to the success and establishment of purpose.
Leaders need to have wisdom to discern evil from good. Evil counsel can cast you down as a leader. Therefore a leader should guard against crafty, wicked, and scornful counsel.
Bad counsel from a friend (Jonadab), made Amnon to sleep with Tamar his sister. 2 Samuel 13:3-5.
Bad counsel from Memucan got Vashti banished from the king’s presence. Memucan opened the king’s eyes to see how great Vashti’s crime was. Esther 1:16. If you surround yourself with wicked counsel, they will cast you down. Let the counsel of the wicked be far from you as a leader. Also, be aware of when your wise counsellors are becoming brutish, then correct them immediately.
Leaders should also take note of hateful users like Haman, who wanted to use the king to deal with his own personal enemies.
A leader needs to take note of the people that have taken counsel against him or her, so that he or she can plan on how it shall come to nought. The chief priests and the elders took counsel to put an innocent person to death in Matthew 27:1
Leaders should be aware of jealous advisers who try to put distinguished uncorrupted advisers into trouble. This happened to Daniel, where a group of administrators told the king to enforce a decree that can eliminate Daniel. This conspiracy landed Daniel in the lion’s den. This leader made a decree that would have grieved him, had it succeeded. On another occasion, the astrologers made king Nebuchadnezzar to put three innocent people into a blazing furnace by their counsel. Daniel 3:7
Leaders should take particular notice of the advisers who are able to tell them the truth, as well as correct them when wrong. Paul advised Peter to be consistent in his deeds before all.
A leader should take time to get good spiritual counselor who will give guidance to help him or her not to walk against GOD’s counsel, because only HIS counsel stands forever. Psalm 33:11 and Psalm 1:1.
Whom are you receiving counsel from? Isaiah 40:14. From adulterers? From the wicked? From the scornful? From the mischievous? From the corrupt? From the merciless? From the manipulative? From the foolish?
OR from the wise? From the one that is full of understanding? From the knowledgeable? From the righteous?
It is good decisions that make great people.
Wisdom is profitable to direct.
Who is your adviser?
Kemi Olorunfemi Leadership Fort 