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Share in the wisdom of the model of leadership—tap into your own potential for greatness
Leaders are not simply born; they are molded through life's victories and failures, triumphs and defeats. No one exemplifies this process better than Moses, the most important and celebrated character in the Hebrew Bible. Faced with great internal and external challenges, he was sculpted into a great leader not only by circumstance, but also by his own determination and devotion to his people.
In this powerful and probing examination of the enduring texts in the biblical tradition, scholar and popular teacher Dr. Norman Cohen examines Moses’s journey to leadership and what he can teach you about the vision, action and skills you need to be a successful leader. Cohen relives Moses’s development from lonely shepherd to founder of a nation, emphasizing the salient points you can use to enrich the different leadership roles you are called on to play in your daily life, whether it be in business, religion, politics, education or other arenas.
Drawing from Moses’s life, you will learn to:
- Articulate your expectations of others, as a group and as individuals
- Empower those around you to lead more responsible, ethical lives
- Support your co-workers and family even when they fail
- Challenge others to reach their highest potential
"An insightful study of Moses's leadership, combining traditional midrash with illustrations from today's leaders.... Gives us much to ponder."
—Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter
"Informative and challenging.... Effective in emphasizing what constitutes outstanding leadership.... Recommended."
—Congregational Libraries Today
“Cohen is a consummate teacher of midrash, rabbinic interpretation of Scripture. [He] brings our biblical ancestor alive, while teaching us what’s at stake in true leadership.”
—Prof. Burton L. Visotzky, author of The Genesis of Ethics and Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text
“Engaging…. Reframes the ideals and issues of leadership…. Draws lessons from this teacher and prophet of antiquity for all who aspire to leadership today.”
—Mary C. Boys, coauthor of Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other
“Masterful and thought-provoking…. Compares and contrasts the leadership problems faced by Moses and the Israelites with those of the modern-day CEO. A must read for modern-day leaders who to seek to aid in the growth and progress of an organization.”
—Stanley P. Gold, chairman, USC Board of Trustees
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Showing the Potential for Leadership—Exodus 2
2. The Calling: Overcoming Self-Doubt—Exodus 3–4
3. The Vision of Leadership—Exodus 6:2–13
4. We Possess the Power and the Ability—Exodus 14:10–16
5. The Leader's Unique Song—Exodus 15:1–21
6. We Can Survive the Desert and Sweeten the Waters—Exodus 15:22–27
7. The Burden of Leadership—Exodus 17:1–7
8. The Leader Needs Support—Exodus 17:8–16
9. A Key to Leadership: Empowerment—Exodus 18:13–27
10. The Leader’s Vision—Exodus 19
11. In the Face of Challenge and Rejection—Exodus 32
12. Hearing Criticism: Knowing How to Respond—Numbers 12
13. Making Tough Decisions; Meeting Challenges—Numbers 16, 17:1–6
14. Balancing the Personal and the Professional—Numbers 20:1–13; 21:16–19
15. Leaders Struggle with Their Mortality—Deuteronomy 3:23–28
16. Raising Up the Next Generation of Leaders—Deuteronomy 31
Conclusion
Notes
Suggestions for Further Reading