A Case of the Tower of Babel

• Project planning and Management concepts have

been used historically to achieve great success
• One such project is the Tower of Babel project
found in Genesis 11:1-9
• The story gives some key ingredients necessary for
the success of any given project.
• The story also gives the one key principle that will
determine whether the project will succeed or not
irrespective of whether the rest are present or not
– one that many seem to ignore – the WILL of
GOD.
 The Key Aspects of the Babel
Project
• Read Genesis 11:1-9
• The ingredient of a successful project is well
presented in one of the most famous
organizational case studies ever written.
• Containing 195 words in the NIV, the account
offers invaluable data on ingredients needed to
develop and maintain a successful project.
• The account of the tower of Babel yields five key
ingredients needed to develop a successful project
The Key aspect of the Babel Tower Project
1. They had a goal (Gen. 11:4)
• The goal was clearly stated – making a city
for themselves, with a tower that reaches to
heavens, so that they may have a great name.
• Ultimately, they wanted to become a
great nation by building a city with the
highest tower ever.
• Any successful project must have a well
stated goal
 2. Commitment to work on a goal (vv3-4)
•Unlimited power is generated when people have a
commitment to work on a goal
•When they are united behind commitment
•Notice God says that when people are committed to
work on a goal and have unity and good
communication system, nothing is impossible for
them to achieve.
•Project managers have a responsibility to
communicate the project goal to all the stakeholders.
•Failure for people to understand the project goal has
led to many failed projects
2. Unity among the People (v.6)
• When the project goal is well understood, people will
either adopt or reject it
• The project manager has to see that the goal is
adopted, which will lead to unity amongst the project
team
• In this case, all the people agreed to the goal, and were
united in their vision to achieve it – God refers to them
as a one people (Vs 6).
• Lack of unity definitely breeds disunity and division,
which always hinders progress of any given
undertaking
2. The project manager has a duty to foster unity among
the project team – failure to do so will definitely lead
to the project failure.
3. An effective communication system (vv1.6)
• Effective communication both within the project
and outside the project is key in the success of any
given project.
• The people had one language and a common
speech, which worked to their advantage.
• Note the several times they use the term “let us”.
It reflects a well coordinated communication
system
• It is no wonder that to fail this project, God just
had to fail the communication system.
• Good project managers are ones that
communicate effectively to all the project
4. Innovation and Quality (Vs 3)
• Good project always start with innovation –
seeing opportunity and taking advantage of it.
• The people were innovative – when they came to
the plain of Shinar, they started using brick instead
of stone and tar for mortar. They later saw an
opportunity to build a city and a tower.
• Also notice that they were committed to quality –
“lets make bricks and bake them thoroughly”.
• Project managers should be ones that are not
only looking out for new opportunities, but also
ones that are committed to quality at whatever
they do.
• 4. Doing the will of God (vv. 7-9 shows they were
not)
• God knew the organization working on the tower
of Babel had the key ingredients for success and
if he didn’t stop them they would achieve their
goal.
• Since they were not working on a goal that He
approved, He shut the project down.
• He did this by disrupting their communication
system. Once the communication system broke
down, their commitment to their project and
their unity were destroyed and the entire project
failed.
 Every project possessing these five
ingredients will most likely be
successful.
• Almost all organizations /projects fall into three
basic categories
• Lack of communication on the part of the people to
work on a clearly defined goal
• Lack of unity within and between departments or
individuals
• Poor communication
• In most cases, poor communication causes the other
two problems.
Secular Definition of Management
• Management is getting work done through
others
Biblical view of management
• Management is meeting the needs of people as
they work at accomplishing their jobs.