The Wise Leader Institute

Need wisdom to lead yourself and others while achieving your desires?

Join the Wise Leader Institute

Prepare to exercise firm faith to make wise decisions to achieve
your God-given desires as you lead yourself and others.

Find out More

Why Should I Join the Wise Leader Institute?

Got important decisions to make?

  • Have you been considering several options, but you are not sure which one is best?
  • Have you delayed making a decision?
  • Are you working on projects that you would rather stop doing, or do less of, to pursue the true desires of your heart?
  • Are your God-given desires on the shelf?
  • Are you wondering if your desires are aligned with God's perfect plan for your life?

Need to lead wisely?

  • Lead yourself and others wisely
  • Plan your first or next authentic offering 
  • Develop or hone your leadership coaching skills
  • Get along well with individuals and teams
  • Optimize needed resources 
  • Pursue or accept opportunities that are aligned with your God-given desires
  • Deal with hurt or loss

Good News! 

  • This Institute will take you to The True Source of all wisdom consistently to help you clearly discern your God-given desires and plan to achieve them.
  • For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot be compared with it (Proverbs 8:11).
  • What if what you need in this season is 
    firm faith to make wise decisions to lead yourself and others?

Hi, I'm Firm Faith

As a child, I despised my name. Now, I realize that God has called me to help leaders like you exercise firm faith to make the wise decisions that you need to make, to achieve the desires that He has placed in your heart. I was blessed to see this verse with my name: 

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9)."

God has helped me to overcome great obstacles with remarkable success.

Now, He is leading me to share His wisdom to help you lead yourself and others wisely. 

I invite you to join me and other wise leaders in the Wise Leader Institute. 

What's in the Wise Leader Institute for me?

Words of Wisdom Modules 

Analyze practical faith-based leadership stories, principles, guides and other resources to help you discern the wisest decisions that you need to make, as you lead yourself and others.
"A person has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!"
(Proverbs 15:23).

Leadership Coaching

Hone or develop your leadership coaching skill. Serve as a coach, client, and observer to help you discern and commit to the next wise steps that you need to make.
"A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water, but a person of understanding draws it out" (Proverbs 20:5).

Community of Wise Leaders

Interact and network with wise leaders by sharing and receiving wise counsel and encouraging each other to diligently pursue your God-given desires as you lead yourself and others. 
"Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14).

I want to find out more about the Wise Leader Institute

to help me exercise firm faith to make the wise decisions that I need to make, as I lead myself and others!

Find out More

What skills will I acquire in this institute?

We are living in unusual times that demand unusual strategies.

God knows what's ahead. He created you, and He knows the plans He has for you. 

This institute will inspire you to use God's manual for you to discern His perfect will. 

About Firm Faith

Dr. Firm Faith Watson serves as Director of the Faculty Development Center at Murray State University. She is a leadership coach and the President and Founder of Firm Faith University, the official sponsor of the Wise Leader Virtual Summit, the Wise Leader Challenge, the
Wise Leader Institute, the Lead Others in Virtual Environments (LOVE) Membership, and the Wise Leader Conference.

Dr. Watson designed and facilitated professional development to serve leaders in the United States and beyond including the Leadership Coaching Institute, the Accelerated Leadership in Virtual Environments (ALIVE) Challenge, and the Virtual Course Design Challenge. She also hosted the This Works for Me Virtual Summit. 

Dr. Watson collaborated with leaders at Murray State University to host the Fall Faculty Summit, New Faculty Orientation, New Faculty Academy, and led the university's major transition to online learning during the pandemic. Her email is [email protected].

What leaders noted about Firm Faith's Work (Unsolicited)

Virtual Course Design Challenge Participant

"I can honestly say that putting your tips and tools into practice made me feel more confident, helped me to stay focused on the objectives, and I am sure it will reflect in students' learning too in a positive way...I already have seen a major improvement in the way I look at handling my courses.

Your name and your talk will always be there in my mind...

Your firm faith principles are also very inspiring….emotional enough to force me to think deeply about life and strong enough to help people stay motivated…
I learned a lot from you both about the course and about life….
Thank you so much for all your efforts.  I thoroughly enjoyed being part of your class."

Dr. Mahwish Anjam, Assistant Professor, College of Business, 
Al Ghurair University, Dubai

The Wise Leader Challenge Participant and This Works for Me Virtual Summit Speaker 

"You have always been one of the most innovative and forward-thinking individuals in higher education.
I appreciate what you’ve been doing.
You are a leader.”

Dr. Doyle Friskney, 
Senior Fellow, Academic Affairs, Council on Post Secondary Education;
Retired Chief Technology Officer, University of Kentucky

This Works for Me
Virtual Summit Speaker

"Please know that what you are doing is of great service to educators. It's an innovative way to produce anytime/anywhere professional development, on demand. It is great to learn from my peers in their areas of expertise, and I thank you for including me in your scaffolded learning community.
I wish you continued success and applaud your work."

Dr. Denise Malloy
Executive Director, HBCU C2
Global SMART Technology Innovation Center, Tennessee State University

Virtual Course Design Challenge Observer

"Thank you for sharing your model of Weekly Challenges with us and allowing us to sit in on your Zoom call. Our Challenges have been going extremely well...Your program model had such an impact on us..."
Dr. Carla Vecchiola,
Director, Hub for Teaching & Learning Resources, University of
Michigan-Dearborn

Leadership Coaching Institute Participant

Firm Faith, "You are truly a gift to higher education."

Dr. Debra Ferdinand-James, 
Educational Technologist, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

Virtual Course Design Challenge Participant

Thank you for running your Virtual Course Design challenge last summer in a way that was open to the broader academic community. I learned a lot not only from the content that you presented, but also through appreciating the design of the associated Canvas course... 

I also appreciated the meetups you hosted on Zoom to talk through some of the ideas. I enjoyed meeting others from outside my college who were facing the same challenges.

Overall, I feel grateful to have had this structured and supportive environment in which to think through my choices and celebrate everyone’s progress at the end of the session.

I have brought my perspectives from the challenge back to my campus to help my colleagues as they re-designed their courses. I have also since redesigned most of my Canvas course spaces following principles from your [challenge], and I believe that this has helped my students navigate the online spaces of my course even better. 

I intend to keep these design features when we return face-to-face.
Thanks again for making an impact!

Dr. Elizabeth Leininger, 
Assistant Professor, Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida

Leadership Coaching and Consultation

"Firm Faith was instrumental in my decision to pursue my passion through entrepreneurship. For the past two years, I have been growing ATTECS, LLC - an independent center for teaching and learning. But, it came about as a result of much deliberation and reflection: "What is your heart's desire?" discussion
with Firm Faith really helped clarify my choice."

Dr. Ella Epshteyn 
Founder/CEO, ATTECS, LLC

Virtual Course Design Challenge and ALIVE Challenge Participant

"Thank you so much for the benefit of your wisdom...
learned so much and shared with others.  The students will benefit from the learning I received from you!."
Dr. Arlene Nicholas, Professor, Faculty Fellow, 5-Year Program Coordinator,
Salve University

ALIVE Challenge Participant

"It was extremely helpful to have a conversation with you today. I just left the meeting with the Provost, and they like the approach to the faculty academy.  

I truly enjoyed the learning experience!" [in the Accelerated Leadership in Virtual Environments Challenge]

Dr. Michael Dailey
Director of Distance Learning and Instructional Design, Office of Distance Education, Kentucky State University

Frequently Asked Questions

"This is the Leadership Institute I desired!"


For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot be compared with it (Proverbs 8:11).

Without faith it is impossible to please God. He that comes to God must believe that He IS and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). 

What if what you need to make your next wise decision
is not more of what you have been trying or thinking,
but wisdom and firm faith that works through love?

This institute will help you exercise firm faith to make the wise decisions that you need to make to achieve your God-given desires as you lead yourself and others.

YES, I WANT TO FIND OUT MORE NOW!