What Went Wrong? Lessons in Leadership from Solomon, the Bible’s Wisest and Worst Ruler

This paper attempts to demonstrate the many insights about successful and unsuccessful leadership that may be derived from the life of King Solomon, who, according to Scripture, was the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon may have been very wise but made some very serious blunders as a leader that led to the breakup of his empire after his son took over. This paper answers the obvious question as to which mistake/character flaw transformed Solomon from a great leader to an unsuccessful leader. This paper will also examine the Book of Proverbs attributed to Solomon and see what leadership lessons can be gleaned from it. One question that the paper will attempt to answer is whether or not Solomon followed the path of wisdom discussed in Proverbs

Rebuilding of the Temple and Renewal of Hope: Leadership Lessons from Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah

The past three decades have been witness to a nascent but compelling body of literature on lessons in leadership for business derived from biblical narratives. The aim of this paper is to advance that effort. Specifically, this study considers the leadership of Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, who built the Second Temple on the ruins of the First. When he arrived in Judah from Babylonia, the walls of Jerusalem were breached and the entire country was filled with people hostile to constructing the Temple. One of the mysteries of the Bible is the disappearance of Zerubbabel from the biblical record. This paper discusses mistakes made by Zerubbabel as a leader, how Ezra and Nehemiah rectified these errors, and demonstrates what leaders of today can learn from the issues involved in the construction of the Second Temple

Timeless Lessons About Leadership from the Midrash

This paper examines two ancient Midrashim and shows that many important messages about leadership are embedded in them. The first Midrash describes the critical personality trait Moses possessed that made him uniquely suitable to be a leader of the Israelites — compassion. The second Midrash appears heretical since it has Moses correcting God. Indeed, God even openly admits, You have taught me something. The primary lessons are that leaders must be compassionate, humble, willing to listen to advice, eager to make changes when necessary, and admit to mistakes

Turning America Around: Learning about Ethical Leadership from Hosea

There are those who claim America is being torn apart by various issues ranging from race to income inequality. America does appear to be in trouble; the middle class has shrunk to 50% of the adult population. We are no longer the “land of opportunity” we think we are; a child born in the bottom quintile of income in the United States only has only 4% chance of rising to the top quintile. The number of corporate scandals ranging from irregular accounting to inversions to defective automobile parts continues unabated. This paper shows how one verse in Hosea provides the secret ingredients of success for both organizations as well as countries. Hosea was among the greatest prophets. Indeed, he had to undergo one of Scriptures most difficult torments, a personal suffering that paralleled God’s own distress. If America desires to continue in its role as leader of the free world, it has to follow the recommendations embraced by Hosea, the prophet of repentance

What Went Wrong? Lessons in Leadership from Solomon, the Bible’s Wisest and Worst Ruler

This paper attempts to demonstrate the many insights about successful and unsuccessful leadership that may be derived from the life of King Solomon, who, according to Scripture, was the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon may have been very wise but made some very serious blunders as a leader that led to the breakup of his empire after his son took over. This paper answers the obvious question as to which mistake/character flaw transformed Solomon from a great leader to an unsuccessful leader. This paper will also examine the Book of Proverbs attributed to Solomon and see what leadership lessons can be gleaned from it. One question that the paper will attempt to answer is whether or not Solomon followed the path of wisdom discussed in Proverbs

Encounters with God: Rabbinic Stories and What We Can Learn from Them

Storytelling skills are an indispensable way of teaching people lessons. Unlike case histories that are limited to facts, stories can stir emotions and arouse the audience\u27s passion. This may be why stories, even fiction, have been used to teach ethics/Mussar. The sages of the Talmud were not historians; they told stories—fascinating ones. The Rabbinic stories involving God are a clever device to teach various lessons about the Divine. Several of the above narratives demonstrate conclusively how the legal system based on the Torah is supposed to work. The stories are also designed to show that God cares about people and even spends His time as a matchmaker. God is very close to humanity in Talmudic stories and even laughs when they best Him; he is also a bit of a joker. He has incredible warmth for His creations and sometimes seeks advice and blessings from mortals. He appreciates a good discussion and allows angels and people to argue with him. The authors provide a Table to illustrate the characteristics, lessons, and ideas contained in each of the examined stories

Welcome to New York City, COVID-19 Capital of the World

[Excerpt] We write to you from the epicenter of the United States coronavirus pandemic, New York City, more specifically from the deadliest zip code in Brooklyn, where we are “sheltering in place” Times Square, New York City, New York April 22, 2020, Courtesy Pearl Weisel although, being New Yorkers, we prefer to call it “lockdown.” New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo likes to say we are on PAUSE, an acronym for Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone. Thank goodness, an acronym. We’re in good hands

The Paradox of DEI: How Lofty Ideals Became Hated

There are numerous terms that should be seen as positive values but have been co-opted by today’s culture wars. These terms include “woke,” “social justice,” “cancel culture,” “identity politics,” “politically correct,” “Black Lives Matter,” and DEI. Surprisingly, the term DEI, which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, has negative connotations today, although these are noble values that anyone with a soul should admire. This paper is an examination of what went wrong and how to fix the problem. Moreover, a biblical approach to DEI is discussed. Leaders need to understand the correct way to advocate for the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that brings people together and does not offend

Running a Business Like a Biblical Prophet: What Would Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, or Ezekiel Do?

This paper contends that a toxic corporate culture is the leading cause of unethical behavior in business, and that biblical values taught by the ancient prophets can help transform a firm\u27s culture, inspire employees, and foster a work environment where the paycheck is not the ultimate goal. Scripture could help employees understand that the organization\u27s purpose is to achieve many positive outcomes, such as delivering value to the customer, making a positive difference in society and the world, alleviating poverty and hunger, providing meaningful work, and encouraging innovation and positive change

The Necessity for a New Kind of Accounting: Conscious Accounting

Conscious capitalism is about creating businesses that are concerned with all stakeholders and do not simply focus on maximizing profits for shareholders. It is also about compassion and making the United States and the entire world a better place. Conscious capitalists want to provide employees with meaningful work at fair wages. Organization leaders who follow its principles have to be people of integrity and motivated by a higher purpose than greed and have a desire to serve the public. This paper posits that accountants and auditors must become the conscience of the organization and therefore have an obligation to ensure an ethical tone at the top and have to practice conscious accounting. This paper shows how accountants can provide firms with a competitive edge and create sustainable, flourishing businesses with a higher purpose