NEHEMIAH Alyssa Candelaria BUSN 6210 Dr. Brim 4/30/16

NEHEMIAH

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP  Individuals and teams enact strategic leadership when they create the direction, alignment, and commitment needed to achieve the enduring performance potential of the organization.  But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:19-20 ESV)

NEHEMIAH  Nehemiah’s leadership brought the Jews order, stability, and proper focus on God.  Nehemiah gained the trust of the people.  At the core of Nehemiah’s planning was prayer. Too often, leaders will dive into a project without seeking God, and rely solely on the plans they’ve made. The other extreme is to ignore planning altogether because you assume that God will “make it all come together.” Both extremes are the opposite of good leadership. Trust God, but also use the resources He has given you.

STRATEGIC THINKING  Strategic thinking is a collective process.  Strategic thinking is about the present, not just the future.  Strategic thinking has an artful side as well as a rigorous and analytical side.  Nehemiah knew he could not do this on his own so he prayed constantly and had others help him on the plans for building the wall.

STRATEGIC INFLUENCE  Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18 ESV)  Nehemiah gained their trust and he was a servant leader.  Nehemiah is a man who petitioned the King of Persia to allow him to move up from his position as a cupbearer to the governor of Judah. Talk about a bold request for a promotion!

STRATEGIC ACTING  So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:13-14 ESV)  Nehemiah carefully planned his approach and was a prudent leader, which makes for an excellent challenge to those who want to do the ‘impossible.’

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE  Compassion  Conviction  Courage  Confrontation  Calling

RESOURCES  Catalyst. (n.d.) Leadership lessons from Nehemiah. Retrieved from nehemiah/ nehemiah/  Christian Personal Finance Contributor. (n.d.) Lessons from Nehemiah: Unexpected Leadership. Retrieved from nehemiah-unexpected-leadership/ nehemiah-unexpected-leadership/  Gilman, D. (2014). Nehemiah Bible Study Promo. Retrieved from  Hughes, R. L., Beatty, K. G. & Dinwoodie, D. L (2014). Becoming a strategic leader (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA-Jossey Bass.

RESOURCES  Peach, D. (n.d.) Nehemiah Bible story summary. Retrieved from story-summary/ story-summary/  Retired Air Force officer. (2015). Learning leadership from Nehemiah. Retrieved from tters/One%20To%20One/June%202015/June%202015/Learning%2 0Leadership%20From%20Nehemiah