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

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

How We Got Here: Connectivity, Creativity, Confluence and Internet Culture

There are more innovations today than at any time in human history. The companies that value creativity and diversity of ideas in their hires are the ones most likely to thrive. Indeed, the key asset of a corporation is the abilities, innovativeness, and creativity of its employees. The authors construct a timeline of critical events leading up to today’s highly networked and interconnected world with its ubiquitous social media technologies. The current state has been influenced by advances in media, technology, military defense, and commerce. One trend that stands out in this timeline is the increasing rate of change. It also becomes apparent that the companies that will survive are the ones that are nimble, sensitive to changes in the competitive environment, and can quickly adapt

Being on God’s Side : Biblical Leaders on Wokeness, Social Justice, Cancel Culture, White Privilege, and Other Controversial Terms

Terms such as “woke,” “social justice,” “cancel culture,” “identity politics,” “politically correct,” “critical race theory,” and “DEI” have been increasingly misused and politicized by both the left and the right in recent years. This paper will examine the Hebrew Bible and explore what it says about social justice, compassion for the indigent, inclusion, and many other terms causing such an uproar. The authors assert that the ancient prophets, the true social justice warriors, would be horrified by the actions of both the left and right

Fair and Stable Prices in the Age of Greed: The Torah View

Much of the Jewish legal tradition deals with business ethics. This paper focuses on an overlooked precept: ensuring price stability. There is a tendency to trivialize the law mandating that prices be kept low and affordable, but in the wake of the 2020 world pandemic, these laws are more important than ever. Indeed, very few people are aware that the ninth blessing of the ancient Amida (also known as shemoneh esrei) prayer, established by the 120 members of the Great Assembly in the 5th century BCE, is a prayer for divine protection against individuals who would raise prices unjustly. This paper illustrates the importance of this law and provides interesting stories and examples of individuals who protected the public against hoarders. Ethical leaders have an obligation not to take advantage of vulnerable members of the public by price gouging

Self-Centered vs. Humanity-Centered: The Most Critical Continuum for Choosing Today\u27s Leadership

There is a leadership continuum that ranges from extreme self-interest/narcissism to human-centered leadership. During these chaotic times, corporate boards must hire human-centered CEOs and understand that companies must focus on society\u27s needs, not only profit if capitalism is to thrive. People want to work for companies with a soul and desire to purchase products – and even pay more- from firms that seek to improve the world. Maximizing shareholder value is as outdated as Taylor\u27s theory of scientific management. America becomes stronger if corporate leaders work together to help everyone prosper, not just the top 1%. Everyone wins