Leadership Lessons from the Book of Nehemiah

Introduction: Nehemiah as Governor and Leader

As a part of the Old Testament, or Tanakh, the Book of Nehemiah describes a traditional Jewish patriarchal leader. Nehemiah was not a prophet or a king; rather, he was a governor in Judea. As he describes in the book — much of which is written in the first person — his power derives from God. Nehemiah remains a forceful and trustworthy leader precisely because of his commitment to upholding God's law and ensuring that the Jewish people uphold the Covenant made with Moses many years earlier.

The Book of Nehemiah, also known as the Book of Ezra and at one point included with the Book of Esdras, has a simple narrative structure. The Jews are living under Persian rule in Jerusalem. The city walls had been destroyed and set on fire, and during the first portion of the book, Nehemiah describes how he set forth to rebuild the wall. Rebuilding the Jerusalem wall becomes the central task of the governor, bringing to light a host of social and political issues that face his people. Through such ordeals, Nehemiah defines himself as a leader and proves his merit to the Jewish people.

Rebuilding the Jerusalem wall also serves as a metaphor for many of the other trials of Nehemiah's leadership. For example, Nehemiah endeavors to keep the Jewish people ethnically intact by prohibiting marriages with people from other ethnic groups. Later in the book, Nehemiah becomes an enforcer of the law, signifying unwavering, decisive action on the part of a leader. Fed up with corruption and usury in the ranks of government and the priesthood, Nehemiah distinguishes himself as an upright, pious, caring, stern, and authoritative leader. Although he occasionally becomes overbearing, Nehemiah can serve as an apt model for aspiring leaders.

Three Core Characteristics of Nehemiah's Leadership

The five leadership practices — modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart — can be readily applied to the story of Nehemiah in the Bible. There are three main characteristics of Nehemiah's leadership, based on his actions, his response to problems, and the reactions of others.

First, Nehemiah is a religious and humble leader who never sways from his commitment to God. Because he is a governor and not a king, Nehemiah was in a unique position to retain a sense of humility and to keep his ego from interfering with his leadership. His role toward his people was not one of divine authority, although Nehemiah always ruled according to God's law.

Second, Nehemiah responds to challenges, conflicts, and problems with swift action and diplomacy. He rebuilds the wall decisively. He interacts with King Artaxerxes and other superior leaders, and also serves as a mediator in times of conflict, such as in Chapter 6 of the book. In fact, Nehemiah almost single-handedly helped rebuild Jerusalem and helped the Jewish people reorganize themselves, reestablish their communities, and repopulate the region. As such, Nehemiah acts as a chief architect of the Jewish community.

Modeling the Way Through Piety and Hard Work

Third, Nehemiah speaks out for those who have no voice, using his power to help the poor and the downtrodden. He hears the cries of the people who feel they are enslaved and forced to pay overly high taxes and interest, and he intervenes as governor in the name of justice. Finally, Nehemiah is a remarkable leader because he gets things done: people respond to him positively and listen to what he has to say. Part of the reason for his success is that he remains decisive and strong.

Nehemiah accomplishes the first of the five leadership practices — modeling the way — by setting an example for the Jewish people. He does so primarily through his piety and his hard work. The Book of Nehemiah itself serves as a kind of résumé or testament to his role modeling. He continually bolsters his image through references to his good deeds and through prayers and supplications to the Lord. For example, in Chapter 13, he states: "Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits… Remember me, O my God, for good" (30–31). Nehemiah models the way by avoiding hypocrisy as well; he is never accused of bad deeds by anyone.