There are about as many leadership books as there are grains of sand on the beach, but if you want to skip the line and go straight to the top of the list, there is one book that excels above all others. It’s called the book of Proverbs, and you’ll find it tucked away near the middle of the bible just after the better-known Psalms.

The bible? Don’t freak out – yes, the book of Proverbs is in the bible. It is s the best leadership advice that you will ever read, period. There is no best-selling author or blogger on the planet who can produce any leadership guidance that will exceed Proverbs, nor will there ever be.

It’s true. Proverbs is the culmination of God-breathed wisdom that applies to every single facet of your life, including leadership principles that will keep you on the path to excellence. I am often amazed at how many leaders will attend multi-day conferences, spend big money on motivational best-sellers, or endlessly pursue college courses while never bothering to do something as simple as pulling up Proverbs on their smartphone.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with seminars, books or educational courses. But resist the temptation of thinking that the newest thing is the best thing. That’s a big problem we all struggle with in a world of fleeting social media.

Sound old-fashioned? I guess you’re right. It’s so old-fashioned that it plumbs the depths of wisdom found in God before the creation of the universe. You can’t get any more old-fashioned than that. But whose wisdom would you rather follow – the God of the universe, or the guy whose leadership advice is rooted in the sands of self?

You won’t absorb Proverbs by cursory review. It isn’t written as an infographic with 5 easy steps to becoming the wisest leader on the planet. In fact (spoiler alert), it’s so deep that you can spend a lifetime studying its wisdom and you’ll continuously find something new. It’s that good and it’s that deep.

If you do nothing else but absorb your heart and mind in the task of acquiring godly wisdom, you will be a powerful and effective leader. That’s a promise.

And for all of us working to make the world a better place for moms and babies – greater effectiveness means greater cultural impact.

Proverbs is the one book you must read.