Nehemiah’s Leadership and Its Relation to Factors, Case Study Example

Introduction

Leadership is a vital part of the application of principles of organizational development (OD). In the years of historical data, several individuals have already been recognized for their capacity to handle challenges that come their way through the application of proper leadership as defined through OD principles. The bible in itself does not run short of the list of people who have been well recognized for their capacity to lead and define work for the entire population of several individuals in the past. One of the said leaders include that of Nehemiah.

Among all the other leaders recorded in the pages of the bible, Nehemiah was the one commissioned to take a huge assignment that required extensive leadership skills which could only be accomplished through applying the principles of OD. In the presentation that follows, a distinctive identification of Nehemiah’s leadership traits shall be discussed and used as an inspirational representation of what successful leaders to so as to manage specifically daunting tasks through the help of the principles of organizational development. Correlating what Nehemiah has done in the past with what organizational leaders are doing today, this discussion is expected to create a connecting factor that insists on the capacity of a person to lead and direct especially in situations hard-to-deal with.

Nehemiah’s Leadership Record

To note, Nehemiah was first and foremost an Israelite. With his people noted for the worship of a strong-willed God, his position as an Israelite always comes first in his being above anything else that he was expected to accomplish. A prayerful person as he is, he believed that someone is more superior than he is and is most viable for both respect and dependence especially when it comes to dealing with hard times in his life.

Another recognizable reputation of Nehemiah is his being the cup bearer of King Artaxerxes III [the Persian empire leader] when the Israelites were under his captivity. Being a cup bearer back in his days was one of the most important positions any slave could be given. It indicates that the authority being served by that individual trusts him fully with his life especially that he would be serving the wine that the king would take in. Nehemiah was a great servant. Nevertheless, when he knew about the ruins of Jerusalem, he felt pity for his people and agonized for his worship (Nehemiah 2: 1-9). The king observed him and realized of this fact and asked what he could do to help. Politely asking for the king’s approval, Nehemiah tried to convince the king to help him rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Given the ‘go-signal’ and all the necessary material support he needed for the project, Nehemiah did not think twice but to start the project immediately even if it meant leaving his post as the king’s cup bearer (Nehemiah 2:11-17). Although Nehemiah was not an experienced constructor, his trust in his God and his faith in his people were the primary factors that drove him into a serious concentration over the project that was to be completed at hand. Before starting anything, he went through the problem on his own, investigating through the rubbles of Jerusalem during the night both on an animal and on foot when necessary. Creating the plan with some of the chosen individuals whom he commissioned to assist him with the creation of the “blueprint “ of the construction, he then began to gather his people and carefully instructed them of what should be done and how each of those tasks should be undergone. Separating the people in smaller groups and delegating them with specific tasks (Nehemiah 2:17-20) has made it easier for Nehemiah to make sure that the project would be established under a cooperative and well-organized manner.

Was the task just on appointing the people to handle the task? Relatively, being a nation that is under the governance of a higher empire, Nehemiah and his people began to receive oppression and heard hurtful words that are sure to put down their spirit with regards the project that they are completing. The ammonites, the Horonites and the Arabians were among those who despised the Hebrews and their faith. Along with the desire to dishearten the people from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, they also want to discourage the reestablishment of the faith of the Hebrews. To do this, they kept on oppressing the people and placing them under shame. How then did Nehemiah respond to this challenge?

AS mentioned earlier, Nehemiah is a prayerful individual. He asked God for help and guidance as to what he should do and carried on with his task. Arming his people and commissioning some of them to stand as guard in front of the construction created a sense of defense that the construction workers depended upon (Nehemiah 4). When some of the oppressors did not stop, he commissioned himself to get the attention of the authorities of the land which the King of Persia instructed to assist him and had them deal with the matter (Nehemiah 5).  Amidst all the persecution and the disheartening words from the oppressors, the project was completed within 52 days from the point of its beginning. The oppressors were never silenced but the self sacrificing attitude of Nehemiah as he tried to speak to the people and kept on keeping their thoughts up towards the completion of the project amidst disappointment and emotional denudation from their neighbors kept the people going. Trusting in a superior power that guided him all through the process has allowed him to seek more than just the willingness of the people to build but also establish in them a goal that would provide them a sense of path which immediately motivated them to complete their task.

After the rebuilding came the other tasks which included the need to become more focused on reestablishing the faith that Jerusalem was known for. It involved moral cleansing and the reconstruction of the people’s culture towards moral integrity. This required Nehemiah to become more direct and strict enough to make sure that the laws of their faith be followed by the people. Such culture included not marrying someone who do not belong to their own faith as it was seen to be a form of disloyalty and a source of putting blemish to their morals. To help the people understand and follow through this principle was not easy. But through constant reminders and leading by example, Nehemiah was gradually able to help the people reestablish their faith and reconstruct their reputation as God’s people.

Principles of Organizational Development Learned from Nehemiah’s Example

• Handling Organizational Development as a Profession and as a Field of Performance

As mentioned earlier, Nehemiah’s experience as a commissioned head constructor in the reestablishment of the walls of Jericho was not enough. Nevertheless, the trust he had in his God and his people made him sure that this project was to push through properly. He had a principle and a single goal in mind to reestablish the faith that was lost at the time of the destruction of the wall of the city. Holding on to this goal, he was able to keep his head on his task and complete such task with such vigor and concentration even when in the middle of oppression from other neighboring countries.

When it comes to handling organizational development as a profession and as a field of performance, it was the goal of Nehemiah that made it easier for him to keep his head towards the prize of what he was doing. His determination to have that goal fulfilled kept him going forward instead of being disturbed by the commotion caused by those around him. A leader who is dependent on such cause becomes more focused on the organization of the people and empowerment of their spirits than on the idea of being side traced by what others has to say.

• Applying Organizational Development Theories and Methods

When it comes to embracing a sense of methodology, the blueprint of the project plan that Nehemiah and some of his chosen men created from the beginning of the project remained to be the same plan they followed until they completed the project. Sticking to the plan and making sure that everything in it is addressed properly during the process makes it easier for Nehemiah and his people to consider a serious path that they would follow through amidst all the supposed delays.

• Applying Organizational Development Process

Disturbances and challenges are part of the factors that comply with the application of risk management procedures in a particular project plan. In dealing with his oppressors, Nehemiah did not hold back to listen to the outcry of the people. He knew that it was hard to concentrate when issues of disheartening thoughts come into the minds of the workers. To address the matter further, he did not fear to use the power that the King of Persia has given him especially when it comes to getting the attention and assistance of the high officials of the country. He only did this though when he found that it was already necessary to do so. Considerable decision making that releases executive command is then required during these situations which Nehemiah himself successfully followed.

• Applying Organizational Development through Indicating Organizational Levels

Putting the people into groups and giving them specific tasks that they should focus on gave Nehemiah’s project management procedures an edge. Knowing that he had a time table to follow and a schedule to give attention to, his focus on the organization the people to be concentrated on their tasks was an essential part of his leadership. Relatively, leaders today who are able to do the same thing are able to handle challenges from outside elements without being side tracked from the goal that they have established for their group to fulfill in the first place.

• Using Organizational Development to Handle Social Change

The condition of the society against the Hebrews during Nehemiah’s time was hard enough to deal with. To be oppressed and mocked was not a joke. Taking matters into serious consideration and addressing the need to stop the commotion that such oppression causes among the workers of the project gave Nehemiah a good feedback from the people thus helping him gain their trust and their confidence which later on motivated them to push through with the completion of their own assigned tasks.

• Identifying Leadership Capacities through Organizational Development Applications and Practices

Before, during and even after the completion of the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah needed to stay strong as a leader. His reputation has already been established among the people during the construction’s stretch of completion. However, handling the need to restore pure worship in connection with their faith is another phase of his responsibility that has a different requirement of leadership. Handling this with full confidence on the help of a supreme power over his head, his trust in his God allowed him to enforce the necessary changes needed for the goal to be fulfilled. Focused on the supposed results of his efforts, Nehemiah never stooped down to downgrade the reputation that he was supposed to reestablish for his people and thus was successful in the end.

• Organizational Development , Nehemiah and the Modern Global Marketplace

Although the task of Nehemiah was non-business related, his capacity to reestablish a name for his people amidst the changes in the society was a remarkable example on how leaders today could establish a name in the global market place. With his goals well-grounded and his focus well-defined, Nehemiah never let anything come between him and the need to create a reputable stance for his people, something that ought to be respected by all. Working from the inside, he was able to inspire his own people to follow the established culture and thus create a reputable name for themselves in the face of their enemies and their allies in the neighboring countries.

Conclusion

Organizational Development or OD is basically based on the principles of leading a particular group of people into progress based on process, methodology and application of organized approaches. Tasks and projects are part of the said road to progress. In identifying the experience of Nehemiah as recorded in his own book, there were three things that Nehemiah possessed that made it easier for him to spear head a project that was likely way out of his league as a cupbearer to the king of Persia. One, he had a goal. He was certain that the goal he had was worthy enough of responding to hence giving him the right capacity to ask God for help and later on the King for assistance. Two, he had the trust to a supreme being guiding him and trust to the people whom he was commissioned to assist rebuild their city’s wall. Three, he had the focus on what he was doing allowing him to make specific effective decisions to push away anything that stands in his way and the completion of the project he was assigned to fulfill. In the modern world, the same principles of organizational development could still be applied especially in dealing with the challenges of handling global market demands as well as social changes and oppressions. Keeping a leader’s focus on the task and the goal at hand shall indeed provide a good foundation of direction that the whole team could follow amidst all possible disruptions that may occur.

References

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Book of Nehemiah. World Association of Bible Scholars: Brooklyn Publishing: New York.

Jones, B. and Brazzel, M. (2006). The NTL Handbook of Organization Development and Change: Principles, Practices, and Perspectives. Pfeiffer Publishing Company: USA.