How Moses Used Various Leadership Styles to Lead the Israelites to the Promised Land

Effective Leadership and the Case of Moses

It is well documented that effective leadership is a critical component of organizational success. A growing body of scholarship confirms that leaders who exhibit effective leadership skills have the potential to transform their followers in ways that help them grow as well as helping achieve their organization\\\\\\\'s goals. Not surprisingly, organizational theorists are always searching for good examples of effective leaders to support their views and theories. For this purpose, the biblical account of Moses provides a valuable case study of effective leadership. Moses exhibited visionary, authoritative, transformational and servant leadership style that motivated and inspired his followers to achieve their full potential. In addition, Moses also adapted his leadership style to different situations in ways that are reflective of situational leadership. However, Moses\\\\\\\' shortcomings, 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. To learn more about this major biblical leader, the purpose of this paper is to describe the specialized approaches of Moses as well as his failings as a leader that modern Christians can learn from. Finally, a discussion concerning the limitations that Christians have on bringing their faith into the workplace is followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

By most measures, Moses was a great leader in multiple ways that reflect the key tenets of mainstream leadership theories today. For instance, in many cases, the leadership style used by Moses was transformational in nature. For example, Moses had a clear vision of the Promised Land and he was committed to leading the Israelites there using whatever means were necessary. These attributes are some of the main characteristics of transformational leadership. For instance, conceptualized as a large corporation, Moses “kept his eye on the prize” for the Jewish People, Inc. by consistently transforming the organization by articulating a better vision for the future as well as taking concrete steps to further its achievement. These actions helped forge a sense of trust between him and his followers that was critical given their dire circumstances (Capps, 2009). In this regard Alavi et al. (2022) point out that, “Transformational leadership creates organizational trust which then positively impacts organizational performance in times of crisis” (p. 324).

In addition, Moses also used a visionary leadership style to inspire his followers to persevere by setting high expectations for them as a people to the Promised Land and challenging them to achieve their full potential as the Chosen People as promised by God (Arnow, 2006). The biblical accounts of Moses, though, also make it clear that the Jewish people’s faith was sorely tested time and again, and the seeds of doubt were planted despite the daily miracles that God provided the Jews in the form of manna, the unstoppable power of the Ark of the Covenant, parting the Red Sea, as well as working numerous other miracles through Moses. This eventuality has some interesting modern parallels, and personal experience and a growing body of scholarship confirm that persuading large numbers of people to achieve a common goal – even one in which they have a vested interest -- is a challenging enterprise for the most effective leaders. In other words, organizational leaders are only as good as their last miracle.

Despite these challenges, Moses also developed an environment wherein his followers felt sufficiently comfortable to frankly share their ideas and concerns with him. Given that the stakes could not be higher for the Jewish people with their religion and lives on the line, it was obviously necessary to hear from his followers, even if this honest airing of differing opinions did not always sway him from his original thinking. This leadership approach is also consistent with transformational leadership since it empowered his followers to take ownership of their work and become active contributors to their eventual success (Ben-Hur & Jonsen, 2012). This is what great transformational leaders do -- they listen to their advisors and then make the best decision they can and commit the resources that are needed to achieve it.

Beyond the transformational aspects, Moses also exhibited a servant leadership style that was highly effective. Indeed, Moses is a prime example of a servant leader who was also a spiritual leader. Servant leadership theory is based on the idea that leaders should prioritize serving and empowering their followers. Like transformational leadership, servant leaders also encourage their subordinates to share their opinions and make independent decisions, but there is also an emphasis on identifying mutually agreed upon innovative ways of working and solving problems (Khan et al, 2023).

Like Moses, modern servant leaders also establish and maintain close relationships with their followers, providing timely feedback and taking care of their personal and professional needs when necessary (Khan et al., 2023). In contrast to most other leadership theories, servant leadership is a unique self-sacrificing type of leadership behavior that fosters trust and enables followers to grow and develop. In sum, servant leadership begins with the natural feeling of wanting to serve first (Khan, 2023).

In addition, effective servant leaders should also incorporate spiritual leadership qualities that focus on the well-being of followers, including personal growth, meaning, and purpose just as Moses did. The integration of spiritual leadership can lead to a more profound and lasting impact on followers (Lynch & Friedman, 2013). For example, Moses was deeply committed to his taking care of his followers\\\\\\\' well-being and he worked tirelessly to satisfy their unending needs for many decades. In addition, Moses also understood the importance of leading by example, and his actions demonstrated his commitment to serving others. This leadership approach engendered loyalty and dedication among his followers and created a strong sense of community (Khan et al., 2023).

Most importantly of all, Moses was also adept at adapting his leadership style to different situations (Gorringe, 2007). For example, when dealing with the Pharaoh, Moses used authoritative leadership. In contrast, when leading his people through the desert, he exhibited a more collaborative, democratic leadership style that focused on building consensus and addressing the needs of the community. For instance, Moses appointed leaders from each Jewish tribe to help him lead and make decisions, and he also sought counsel from his father-in-law, Jethro. This adaptability in responding to different situations with an appropriate leadership approach allowed Moses to successfully navigate a range of genocidal threats to achieve his goals for the Israelites (Gorringe, 2007).

It is interesting that the biblical account of Moses in the Torah as well as the Midrash provides only limited information concerning why Moses was chosen as a leader of the Jewish people in the first place, but these same biblical accounts do offer some insights into his leadership attributes and qualities. For example, according to Zivotofsky (1994), Moses was a man of action who took the initiative to act, and he was also a man of justice who was unafraid to stand up for what he believed in, even in the face of potential violent retribution. In fact, Zivotofsky (1994) concludes that Moses\\\\\\\' readiness to act in the face of injustice was his finest leadership quality.

Despite Moses\\\\\\\' effective leadership skills, he also had his shortcomings. For example, he lacked confidence in his ability to lead, as evidenced by his reluctance to initially accept his role as the leader of the Israelites. According to the biblical account in the book of Exodus, when God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses protested at first, saying that he was not a good speaker. In response, God appointed Moses\\\\\\\' brother, Aaron, as his spokesman to help him communicate with the Jewish people and outsiders. For example, in Exodus 4:14-16, God says to Moses:

Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. ... Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.

Furthermore, despite his vigor, Moses also had some physical weaknesses that were likely attributable to his advanced age. In this regard, Shaevel (2021) notes that “the Torah describes how, during the Israelite\\\\\\\'s battle with Amalek, Moses\\\\\\\' literal arm became fatigued, and he relied on Aaron and Hur to help him keep his arm up” (p. 140). These human shortcomings serve as important reminders that even the most effective leaders face challenges in achieving their personal and professional goals (Wilson, 2020). In fact, despite being a revered man of God, Moses was still a fallible human being who encountered both triumphs and setbacks in his role as a leader of the Jewish people (Barro, 2015).

In sum, the leadership styles that were used by Moses were marked by a combination of problem-solving and crisis management, as he grappled with various human emotions such as passion, anger, anxiety, suffering, and fear (Štrba, 2021). Notwithstanding these purely human frailties, Moses did in fact recognize that at the advanced age of 120 years and despite his mental and physical health being in good condition, he recognized that he was no longer capable of effective military leadership. While Moses did not specifically concede that his age prevented him from exercising his leadership responsibilities effectively, he was humble and wise enough to pass the leadership role onto someone else when the time came, recognizing that it was in the best interests of his followers (Štrba, 2021).

While it would be misleading to pigeonhole all of Moses’ actions in the Bible into one leadership category or another, it is possible to generalize the findings that emerged from the relevant literature as set forth in Table 1 below.

Table 1

Summary of Leadership Styles Used by Moses

Leadership Style

Description

Examples

Transformational

Leaders who inspire and motivate their followers to work towards a shared goal or vision, often through charismatic communication and personal example

Moses transformed the Israelites from a group of slaves into a united and cohesive nation by leading them through various trials and tribulations, and by personally demonstrating his unwavering faith in God

Visionary

Leaders who inspire and motivate their followers by setting a clear vision and direction for the future

Moses had a clear vision of leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land

Servant

Leaders who prioritize the needs and well-being of their followers and work to serve them.

Moses frequently interceded on behalf of the Israelites to God and consistently placed their needs above his own.

Authoritative

Leaders who involve their followers in decision-making and seek input and feedback from them

Moses appointed leaders from each tribe to assist him in leading the Israelites and in making important decisions; in addition, Moses also sought counsel from his father-in-law, Jethro.