NEHEMIAH: LEADING THROUGH CHANGE 1

Nehemiah: Leading Through Change

Michelle Pistone-Holmen

Liberty University
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Nehemiah: Leading Through Change & Opposition

I find it rather surprising that I have never studied the book of Nehemiah, as I was born

into a family that went to church faithfully, and I have continued to attend since that time. I

don’t have any recollection of having been told Nehemiah’s story, nor taught of his remarkable

leadership qualities. I was brought up to value solid leadership, and I think the qualities

Nehemiah demonstrates in this book are that of an effective leader, despite some pretty harsh

circumstances he was faced with. He maintained the key elements of being a great manager, as

well as kept the lines of communication open with his team.

Elements Of A Great Manager

Nehemiah demonstrated many elements that are essential to being an effective manager

including: being humble, inspiring, courageous, wise, and empathetic. God used Nehemiah to

lead the charge on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. He placed a passion in Nehemiah’s

heart, and Nehemiah acted on it faithfully. When we are placed in stressful situations, our

character is revealed, and we either handle it well, or weave a tangled web of pride and folly.

Nehemiah chose to handle the situation he was placed in with grace, and wisdom.

Humble

Nehemiah was humble before the Lord. He confessed his sins to the Lord, and cried out

for mercy saying, “…Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly

against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You

commanded Your servant Moses” (Nehemiah 1:6-7, New King James Version). A manager that

is humble can lead a team by example, and set the tone for the workplace or project. Humility
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can inspire others to be better and do better, where a prideful manager can cause internal, as well

as external, strife and defensiveness. This defensiveness can sprout into a rejection of

leadership, and refusal to participate in growth or change. Once that seed is planted, it is very

difficult to keep it from taking root, and ultimately destroying everything in its path. A humble

leader is a gift to all who follow. Humility can allow for workers to view their leader as part of

the team, rather than above the team looking down, and shouting orders.

Inspiring

Nehemiah proved to be an inspiring leader as he revealed his motive for the journey to

Jerusalem to his team. In Nehemiah 2:17 he said, “…You see the distress we are in, how

Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of

Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach”. Nehemiah appealed to his team’s heart.

“…Skilled people Start with Heart,” is a motto to remember when contemplating how to

approach a crucial conversation, and get others to follow your lead (Patterson, Grenny,

McMillan, & Switzler, 2012, p. 36). Imagine your manager approaching you with a sensitive,

and potentially upsetting subject, and they are walking towards you with their credentials taped

to their forehead, as evidence of how their knowledge and position should be heeded. How

would that make you feel? Now imagine that same person walking towards you with their heart

in their hands, outstretched for you to see each facet of joy, fear, and vision. Is there any

difference in your instinctive reaction? When approached from the direction of the heart, the

conversation is likely to be received in a much warmer environment, inspiring the team to take

on new challenges, contribute to the plan, and join in the vision. Leaders will not have long

lasting success if they try to browbeat their workers into compliance or change.
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Courageous

A manager that has the courage to stand up for what they believe is right, when all odds

are against them, is someone I want to follow. God never said doing what is right would be easy,

or that being a leader would be smooth sailing. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand

firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you

know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Nehemiah demonstrated

great courage in the face of mockers. When confronted by laughter and nasty comments,

Nehemiah said, “…The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will

arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:20).

Wise

There was much opposition to Nehemiah’s project of rebuilding the walls around

Jerusalem. “Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the

Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to

be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack

Jerusalem and create confusion” (Nehemiah 4:7-8). Nehemiah kept his cool while he was under

attack and his mission was being threatened. He turned first to God in prayer, then devised a

plan to have half of the men stand guard, while the other half worked (Nehemiah 4:21). He

protected his people by covering them with prayer, as well as by using the wisdom God gave him

to create a strategy. A wise leader always looks to God first.

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Empathetic

“Empathy occurs when one is able to put oneself in the shoes of another person”

(Finkelman, 2012). Nehemiah was empathetic to the Jewish exiles that were being taken

advantage of. When in a time of desperation, they were being charged interest that would

ultimately enslave them for the rest of their lives. Nehemiah confronted his people and said,

“What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the

reproach of the nations, our enemies? I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending

them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! Restore now to them, even this day, their

lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the

grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them” (Nehemiah 5:9-11). Reducing the

income or profits of your team is never an easy change to approach, but Nehemiah once again

appealed to the heart. He caused his followers to see where they were taking advantage of people

in dire situations, and showed them a different way.

Communication is Key

Communication was an integral part of Nehemiah’s success as a leader. He brought his

followers on board, included them in the plan God had set on his heart, and was able to inspire

them to complete the task at hand with integrity. There was much opposition, but he readied

their hearts instead of being a dictator. He led them to understand the importance of their

participation, and they were even willing to withstand dangerous circumstances in order to

complete the wall.

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Model of Change

Lewin’s force-field model of change closely mimics how Nehemiah structured his project

(Finkelman, 2012). The unfreezing stage was when Nehemiah identified that there was a

problem (Nehemiah 2:1-9). He saw a need, and knew he could fill it. The moving stage was

when Nehemiah led his team to Jerusalem, allowing them to experience the condition of the city

for themselves, and inspiring them to join him in a huge undertaking to rebuild the wall

(Nehemiah 2:11-18). The refreezing stage was when Nehemiah took the time to ceremonially

dedicate the wall, complete with two choirs, and the leaders of Judah (Nehemiah 12:27-43).

After a celebration like that, no one was sure to forget the favor of the Lord that comes with

obedience and tenacity.

A Faithful Leader

Nehemiah led his people through change humbly, going to God in prayer, and confessing

his sins. He caused in them a desire to serve the Lord, and inspired them to do it with integrity,

courage, wisdom, and empathy. The elements that made Nehemiah a leader that others were

drawn to are the same elements that were ultimately mirrored by his followers. When we

demonstrate faithful leadership, others take notice and rise to the occasion.

I may not have learned about Nehemiah in Sunday school, but regardless of the timing, I

am thankful to have Nehemiah’s story to pull from when I find myself in a leadership position,

which as a Believer should be each and every day.

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References

Finkelman, A. (2012). Leadership and management for nurses: Core competencies for quality

care (2nd ed.). Custom. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for

talking when stakes are high (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Publishing

Company.