There is an English expression, “to be naïve.” In Korean, it is translated as “pure,” “innocent,” or “simple,” and it is used to mean “someone who does not know much about how the world works.” A person who is pure but ignorant of worldly matters is likely to be taken advantage of when making important decisions, because they believe what others say without suspicion.
There are countless cases in which people have suffered difficulties after making decisions by taking others’ words literally. Unfortunately, this happens just as often in the context of teamwork. This does not necessarily mean that a team member is a con artist or is scheming to usurp the leader’s position. Every human being has their own perspective and their own agenda. And it is only natural for people to want an organization to move according to their own perspective and agenda. It is naïve to think that only the leader has an agenda, while all other members devote themselves solely to fulfilling the leader’s agenda.
Joab was the commander of David’s army. He supported David even before David ascended the throne and was his closest confidant, who protected not only David’s kingship but also his life. It was no coincidence that David placed his own blood relative (his nephew) in such a crucial position. Joab knew David’s heart better than anyone and was loyal to him. Yet this same man defied David’s will and murdered Abner, the commander of Israel’s army, whom David intended to bring over to unite all Israel under his rule. It was an act of personal revenge for the death of his brother, Asahel. To Joab, personal vengeance mattered more than his lord David or the future of the nation. Joab also summoned the woman of Tekoa, had her disguise herself as a widow, and instructed her on what to say to David (2 Samuel 14:3). This was to manipulate David to accomplish his own agenda: persuading David to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. Later, when Absalom’s rebellion was nearing its end, Joab ignored David’s explicit command not to kill Absalom and murdered him anyway. Perhaps it was due to his political conviction that the spark of rebellion had to be extinguished completely. Again, it was his own agenda. A leader must never overlook the fact that even team members are people who have their own perspectives and agendas.
Kim Seung-ho, who owns more than 1,300 franchises worldwide, says in his book An Introduction to Management for CEOs that when a company has only a few employees, the owner should trust what employees say without suspicion. However, he warns that once the number of employees grows, making important decisions by taking reports at face value—even from one’s closest aides—can ruin the business. Therefore, he argues that a CEO must analyze and verify reports with their own eyes before making business decisions.
Discernment is an essential quality that a leader must possess. The woman of Tekoa eventually broke her promise to Joab and confessed that the words she had spoken were ones Joab had instructed her to say (2 Samuel 14:19). She did so because David had discerned the true intent behind her words (14:17). Discernment is an extremely important leadership quality. Without discernment, even a leader can be manipulated by the agendas of others, despite them being team members.
When teenage boys and girls are described as “pure,” it is a compliment. But when a leader over forty is described as “pure,” it is not a compliment—it means the leader is immature. Question the “rumors” (reports) you hear through others, and investigate the reality for yourself. The “rumor” that Absalom had killed all of David’s sons (2 Samuel 13:30) was nothing more than a distorted report. In reality, Absalom had killed only Amnon.
There is a saying, “Leaders are readers.” Beyond books, however, leaders must also be able to read people. Ultimately, the essence of leadership is dealing with people. If you cannot move people, you are not a leader. A naïve leader is far more likely to be manipulated by others than to influence them. John explains why Jesus did not entrust himself to others: “for He Himself knew all people … and He Himself knew what was in man” (John 2:24–25). Without discernment, one cannot know the agendas of others.