How Moses Became a Great Spiritual Leader

Research Paper: Leadership Skills – Thesis Statement and Annotated Bibliography

Thesis statement: The biblical account of Moses represents a valuable case study in effective leadership, as he exhibited a transformational and servant leadership style that motivated and inspired his followers to achieve their full potential, while also adapting his approach to different situations; however, his failings, such as his lack of confidence and communication problems, serve as important reminders of the challenges leaders face in achieving their personal and professional goals.

Annotated Bibliography

Arnow, D. (2006). The Passover Haggadah: Moses and the Human Role in Redemption. Judaism, 55(3/4), 4–28.

The author makes the point that Moses occupies a unique role in the redemptive process, but he was not unique as a leader. In fact, the author claims that every generation has an individual like Moses who is willing to “fully embrace the work” after overcoming their initial reluctance. This observation suggests that people can grow into leadership roles if they are willing to invest the time and effort that are required to learn how to lead effectively. In addition, the author notes that Moses was a humble man who refused to accept praise that rightfully belonged to God.

Barro, J. H. (2015). Moses: Leader and Liberator. Revista Batista Pioneira, 4(1), 137–159.

The author emphasizes that although he was a highly esteemed man of God, Moses was also just a human being who experienced both successes and failures in his capacity as a leader. His leadership was characterized by a mixture of solutions and crises as he navigated the human emotions of passion, anxiety, anger, suffering, and fear. It is easy for modern scholars to become overly idealistic and unrealistic when focusing solely on the success stories of leaders, which is why it is important to study those historical leaders who were humble and honest enough to acknowledge their own errors and shortcomings.

Ben-Hur, S., & Jonsen, K. (2012). Ethical leadership: lessons from Moses. Journal of Management Development, 31(9), 962–973.

The authors propose a model for present-day leadership based on the leadership of Moses, the most highly acclaimed leader in Jewish history. By analyzing Moses' journey towards and during his leadership using books 2-5 of the Old Testament, the authors suggest that Moses' leadership characteristics provide an opportunity to reconcile creative tensions between different leadership traits and to apply an ethical model of leadership. Moses' leadership demonstrates how an ethical leader can act under challenging circumstances. The authors acknowledge the limitations of the research and suggest future research could broaden the model through additional sources and test the proposed dimensions of leadership in contemporary workplace contexts.

Capps, D. (2009). Forty Years with Moses. Pastoral Psychology, 58(5/6), 451–462.

The author presents a colorful description of the 40 years that Moses spent leading the Israelites through the desert on their way to the promised land. After examining several potential reasons as to why the 250-mile trip took 40 years to complete, the author concludes that Moses wanted his people to fully appreciate the promised land when they finally arrived. Like many other authorities, the author also cites Moses’ fallibility as a leader in the incident when Joshua returned with a less-than-glowing first-hand report about the true conditions of the promised land as well as his sinful pride in refusing to ask anyone for help except God.

Enderle, G. (1997). In Search of a Common Ethical Ground: Corporate Environmental Responsibility from the Perspective of Christian Environmental Stewardship. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(2), 173–181.

Many Christians may encounter limitations on their ability to bring their faith into their workplace. Many religious and philosophical traditions do not share a uniform and widely accepted doctrine on workplace responsibilities, and even those that do may not be followed by their adherents and leaders. Additionally, there are many different beliefs about workplace responsibility in the world today, so each view must define its place and role within an international marketplace and seek to contribute positively to a worldwide ethic without imposing its view on others. In sum, Christians can bring their values into their workplaces, but they must exercise prudence in sharing them with others.

Friedman, H. H., Fischer, D., & Schochet, S. (2017). Humility and Tone at the Top. International Leadership Journal, 9(2), 54–79.

The authors argue that the world is facing a leadership crisis across various sectors, and emphasizes the importance of humility in leadership by using Moses as an example. The authors explain why it is important for leaders to have humility and how to develop this trait. The authors also highlight the benefits of humble leadership, including improved employee engagement and job satisfaction, as well as reduced job turnover. Finally, the authors suggest that organizations that prioritize hiring humble leaders can break down the barriers that prevent the advancement of qualified women and members of other underrepresented groups in ways that will help their companies thrive.

Gorringe, T. (2007). Three Texts about Moses: Numbers 12, 16 and 20. Expository Times, 118(4), 177–179.

The author notes that among the leaders described in the Bible, Moses holds a central and highly esteemed position. The Bible presents a nuanced view of his situational leadership style which includes some of the challenges he faced and overcame. For instance, the incident involving the rock in Exodus 20 is a good example of a leadership challenge faced by Moses. Moses produces water from the rock by striking it with his staff, but God reprimands him and Aaron for lacking faith and trust in Him, resulting in their exclusion from the Promised Land. This story emphasizes the significance of trust in leadership and the consequences of disregarding faith in a higher power.

Jolliffe, P., & Foster, S. (2022). Different Reality? Generations’ and Religious Groups’ Views of Spirituality Policies in the Workplace. Journal of Business Ethics, 181(2), 451–470.

The author reports that spirituality refers to an individual's sense of belonging, hope, coping strategies, and control in life. The concept of workplace spirituality involves employees recognizing a sense of community and purpose beyond their own economic self-interest, resulting in ethical work environments where employees care for others' well-being. Religious diversity in the workplace, though, it is considered beneficial and can be managed through human resource policies reflecting organizational values and guiding principles to influence positive social change. Workplace policies, however, may place a limit on the extent to which Christians and members of other faiths can share their religious views with others.

Lynch, J. A., & Friedman, H. H. (2013). Servant Leader, Spiritual Leader: The Case for Convergence. Journal of Leadership, Accountability & Ethics, 10(2), 87–95.

The authors report that the idea of servant leadership, which emphasizes the leader's responsibility to serve and empower their followers, can be further developed and strengthened by integrating spiritual leadership principles. In fact, a leader who embodies true servant leadership should also possess spiritual leadership qualities. This notion is supported by the example of Moses, who is considered one of the earliest servant leaders and was also a spiritual leader. The integration of spiritual leadership into servant leadership can bring about a more profound and sustainable impact on followers. Spiritual leadership emphasizes the leader's focus on the collective well-being of their followers, including their personal growth, meaning, and purpose.

Štrba, B. (2021). Sight or Skin? Revisiting Deuteronomy 34:7c. Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 83(1), 1–17.

The author makes the point that when Moses reached the advanced age of 120 years, his mental faculties remained sharp (“his eye was undimmed”), and he was still in good physical health. Nevertheless, Moses was also savvy enough to recognize that he was no longer capable of effective military leadership after reaching this “significant” age. This is not to say that Moses conceded that his advanced age prevented him from exercising his leadership responsibilities, but it is to say that Moses was humble and smart enough to pass the leadership reins on when the time came since it was in his followers’ best interests.