Joshua's lessons on leadership - Intro

In a series of posts, I want to discuss what we can learn about leadership from Joshua ben Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, which would become known as the most militaristic of the tribes of Israel through Joshua's campaigns. 

Why Joshua?  At the end of the series on David I asked folks what they wanted to hear about and I got a comment that said, “Alex, what about followership?  Great leaders are first great followers such as David's respect for flawed King Saul. How much improvement would there be in our companies and culture if we gave as much effort to being a good follower as we do to become a good leader?” 

Everyone, regardless of your belief system, knows about a guy named Moses, but what about the guy that had to follow him?  Joshua is the second person to lead the Jewish people. He spent the early part of his life training under Moses, and took over for him when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan. Joshua's charisma and skill as a leader are evident from the success of the Jews during his lifetime, and their rapid decline following his death. In fact the Israelites do not find a comparable leader until Samuel hundreds of years later.

Joshua was born in 1536 B.C. and died in 1426 B.C.  This is a period of time where Egypt re-unified her empire.  Ahmose I (1570-1546) drove the asiatics from Avaris, and began the unification. Under Amenhotep I (1546-1526) Egypt began the process of establishing a great empire. Amenhotep pushed Egypt's borders beyond those of the Old Kingdom and established an Egyptian presence in Asia. Thutmose I (1525-1512), pacified the Nubian south, and his successor, Thutmose II (1512-1504), solidified the Egyptian presence in Palestine to the Syrian border. Thutmose III (1504-1450) became Egypt's greatest warrior pharaoh, and is known to history as the Napoleon or Alexander of Egypt. Thutmose III established the empire far into Asia, demanding tribute from Babylon, Assyria, and the Hittites. He fought 17 campaigns abroad and was victorious in all of them.  Thutmose III established a professional army through which Egypt reached its pinnacle as a military power.  Joshua lived and led against a backdrop of a great empire at its’ peak.

Any look into Joshua’s leadership can leave you stunned by the brutality of battles, bloodshed and warfare.  So, it is important to understand the phase of civilization that Joshua lived within.  The period starting in 1500 B.C. through A.D. 100 covers the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age and was a time during which a revolution in most aspects of people's existence and organization occurred. During this time humankind refined the social structures that were essential to the functioning of large and complex social orders and, in doing so, brought into existence a new and more destructive form of warfare. There was almost constant war, a time in which states of all sizes came into existence only to be extinguished by the rise of still larger empires, which, in their turn, were destroyed by military force.

The time of Joshua saw the practice of war become firmly rooted in man's societies, experience and psychology. War, warriors, and weapons became a normal part of human existence.

After Joshua’s death a time of disarray existed among the Israelites until Samuel arrived in 1115 B.C.  This occurred against a backdrop of one of the most important stimuli in warfare - the discovery and use of iron. The Hittites first employed iron as a technology of war about 1300 B.C.  The importance of iron in the development of ancient warfare lay not in its strength or ability to hold a sharp edge. Iron's importance rested in the fact that unlike bronze, iron was widely available. It was easier to extract and the abundant supply of this material made it possible for states to produce quantities of reliable weapons cheaply.  No longer was it only the major powers that could afford enough weapons to equip a large military force; almost any state could do it. The result was a dramatic increase in the frequency of war.

While the armies of the Late Bronze Age when Joshua led were large compared to those at the beginning of the period, they were very small by comparison to the armies that fought later in the Iron Age. Persian armies under Darius and Xerxes in the time of David could easily number 200,000 – 300,000 soldiers. While the army of Sargon of Akkad in 2300 B.C. is estimated as large as 5,400 men, an army of this size represented a supreme national effort and even then could be deployed in the field for only a short time. In general there were much smaller Bronze Age armies than the one that Sargon led.

The net of all of this is that Joshua led at a brutal time in history under the shadow of an empire.  A time when warfare was beginning to define mankind, yet weapons and weaponry had not yet progressed to the point where large armies were possible.  Warfare under Joshua was up close and personal.  Battles and therefore families, tribes and civilizations were won, lost sustained or destroyed based upon the actions of 10, 100 or 1,000 people at most.

Now that we have the backdrop for Joshua’s leadership lessons, let’s see what we can learn from him.  The next post will look at the very first time we hear about Joshua, when he “fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered”.

David's lessons on leadership - Will you be carried?

In a series of posts I reflect upon what we can learn about leadership from David, King of Israel.  If this is the first post in the series you have read, please do a quick review of the January 2, 2009 blog titled  “David’s lessons on leadership – Intro”; that post outlines why I am looking into David’s life.  Also, this is the last post I will write on “David’s lessons”.  Next week I will move on to another topic.  If there is something on your mind you would like me to write about, let me know. 

The previous blog dealt with Reputation – created with character, strengthened by consistency, tested by trials and reflected in how others react to us over time.  This post deals with one of the main methods to ultimately judge our leadership.  The question is, Will you be carried?

The back-story for this last lesson about David comes from a battle toward the end of his life.  We learn from the story that “Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.”

Each of us has our main strength.  It may be speed, physical strength, compassion, mental agility, empathy, speech, creativity or endurance.  However, there is some characteristic we know we can count on and we rely upon it when in our moment of greatest need.

What happens when we can no longer count on our greatest strength?  What happens when the one thing we have counted on fails us?  What happens when the one characteristic we knew would lift us above a crisis is no longer there?  We press on it, like a foot pressing a brake pedal connected to a severed brake line.  Over and over, but the skill, trait or gift does not respond…

Even a king like David grows old. As he got older, David became unable to fight as he once did. In this battle against the Philistines, David's life was at risk when he wore out physically against a descendant of Goliath.  Against the very people that David made his name, David lost the one thing he could always count on – his strength in battle.  And how did the people respond?  They did not discard him, they did not throw him out; they stood in front him.  His men said, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”

How will people react to you when your gift runs its’ course?  Will they stand in front of you, protect you, and show you other gifts you still have to give?  Other gifts and talents you do not even know you have?  Or will they walk past you, neglect you and move on to others?  How they react will show you the impact you have made with others.  How they react will show you if you have spent a life on your own agenda or spent a life living to serve others.  For all his flaws and faults, David tried hard to be true to his beliefs and he did serve his people, Israel.  Years of action, decisions, public sacrifices, and atonement demonstrated to the people of Israel who he was and what he stood for and believed in.  In return, Israel stood in front of David.

Walter Lippman, an influential writer, journalist and founding editor of The New Republic said, "The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on."

Will the people you lead carry on?  Like David, Will you be carried?

David's lessons on leadership - Reputation

In a series of posts I reflect upon what we can learn about leadership from David, King of Israel.  If this is the first post in the series you have read, please do a quick review of the January 2, 2009 blog titled  “David’s lessons on leadership – Intro”; that post outlines why I am looking into David’s life.

The previous blog dealt with Trust  - comprised of character and competence.  This post deals with “Reputation”

What is your dearest possession?  Maybe your reputation is not #1, but I bet it is near the top.  This lesson on reputation comes from the time that Hushai the spy leveraged David’s reputation into an advantage. 

The back-story to this intrigue is that Absalom, the third son of David leads a revolt against David.  As Absalom holds the city and David is in retreat, Absalom seeks out his chief advisor.  This advisor, Ahithophel tells Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. Attack him while he is weary and weak”.  

Absalom turns to another advisor, Hushai, who he does not know is in place to defend the king’s interest and spy for him.  Hushai’s response instills fear in Absalom by reminding him of David’s reputation as a warrior.  "The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.' Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.”

David’s reputation alone caused his son to stop pressing forward when he had an advantage and changed the course of the war of rebellion with his own son.

We all have a reputation, the question is – how close is it to who we are?  You cannot create your reputation, since it is what people think of you. All you can do is concentrate on your character, maintain consistency and then be comfortable with what happens next.  Abe Lincoln said, “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”

I was on a job interview recently in my hometown and sat down to breakfast with a CEO who is well connected in the local high tech community.  He said, “Alex, this is a pretty small place and I have been checking you out”.  Gulp – here it comes, my reputation.  “Alex, word is that even when faced with challenging situations you do the right thing”.

Wow.  Now, I want a job with this man and the company he leads, but whatever happens from here, I am OK.  That morning - that moment in the breakfast meeting, I received a great gift.  I was told that my reputation was someone who will do the right thing.  I learned that at least for one brief moment, my reputation and what I desire my character to be are sometimes in sync.  That is pure gold, and I will do all that is possible to defend and maintain that reputation.

In David’s life, his reputation was a weapon, it preceded him, and it got things done for him even when he was not present.  It is the same for us; we can get things done through just our reputation.  The question is, “what do you want to get done through my reputation?”  Once you know that answer, the best next action is to work on character.  And the best way to work on my character is to focus on who we are becoming, not just what we are doing.

Reputation - created with character, strengthened by consistency, tested by trials and reflected in how others treat us.  "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." Warren Buffett

David's lessons on leadership - Trust

In a series of posts I reflect upon what we can learn about leadership from David, King of Israel.  If this is the first post in the series you have read, please do a quick review of the January 2, 2009 blog titled  “David’s lessons on leadership – Intro”; that post outlines why I am looking into David’s life.

The previous blog dealt with knowing that until people see us “Take a Stand” they will never know our values or be in a position to choose to accept our values or move on.  This post deals with “Trust”

The backdrop for a lesson on trust comes in an interaction between Jonathan, David’s best friend (see “Jonathan Moments” – February 9^th) and his soldiers.

Jonathan becomes disgusted with his dad, Saul the king.  He is disgusted because right after Jonathan led a great victory that Saul claimed was his own victory, Saul tries to lead 600 men into battle without weapons.  We read in the story that not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, so Israel had to pay their enemy to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. As a result, on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand.

Jonathan takes matters into his own hands and tells one of his soldiers, “Let’s you and me go into the enemy camp and destroy it”.  His soldier tells him, “do all that you have in mind; I am with you, heart and soul."  Jonathan's soldier "Trusts"

Contrast the soldiers response, with Jonathan’s retort to one of his father’s commands.  Saul had told the army not to eat until they had their victory.  But Jonathan found some honey on the ground and ate it any way.  One of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint."  Jonathan’s response, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey.  How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today?”  Jonathan's words and actions show his men he has no "Trust" for his father.

What a difference in the way the soldier spoke of his leader and the son spoke of his father.  The soldier has trust and deference and the son only has condescension.  Why the difference?

The level of trust that we have in a leader dictates the speed and obedience of our following (the concepts are derived from a book by Stephen Covey Jr. called “The Speed of Trust”).  High trust, high speed and high obedience.  Low trust, questions, debates and delays.  Where does trust come from?  Character and competence.  Character is comprised of integrity and intent.  Competence is built on capability and results.   Let me break this down a bit further:

• Integrity – when there is no gap between intent and behavior.  You see this in people when they act in harmony with their deepest values and beliefs.
• Intent – based upon motive, agenda and related behavior.  It is the reason why you do something.
• Capability – the knowledge, skills, ability and attitude that a person brings to a situation.
• Results – getting stuff done matters. Or as Master Yoda says, “Do or do not, there is no try”

Each of us falls short on one of more of these four items at any point in time.  The more we demonstrate a complete picture to our team and improve each of these areas, the more they trust us, the faster we operate together and the more effective we become.

So what was the difference between Jonathan and Saul?  The soldier saw a few specific things in Jonathan.  First, he demonstrated capability and results in the first attack he led.  Second, his character was on display before heading into the raid on the Philistines when he told the soldier “Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few”.  Jonathan was a capable man of action who walked the talk in terms of his belief system.  He showed integrity and intent.

Contrast the view of Jonathan with the view Jonathan might have of his father.  Saul could not put arms into the hands of his people and took credit for actions that were not his.  He could not get results and his intent was suspect.  Although Saul was strong and effective, his flaws caused him to do things that negatively influenced the way his people viewed his character and competence.

What is the lesson?  Objectively review our integrity, intent, capability and results.  Score ourselves, where do we fall short?  Be surrounded with a few trusted advisors.  Seek their input, ask them to articulate the areas where we are lacking and ask them to help us improve.  And then – trust your people.  Operate with an internal compass that says most people really want to do the right thing.  Henry Stimson, who was an American statesman, served as Secretary of War, Governor-General of the Philippines, and Secretary of State said, “The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way you can make a man trustworthy is to trust him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him.”

Know you have to earn their trust, but trust them first.