The book of Nehemiah is a perfect source of inspiration for anyone desiring to build or rebuild a nation that has seen it all. No nation can stand unless its citizens rise up and take responsibility for its growth and development. It was not an easy task for Nehemiah who initiatives were faces with opposition. In the midst of all that, the national interests were advance and the walls were built. What an incredible story on leadership and nation building. Some of the concepts apply to nation building in modern days.
1. A leader must have deep seated passion for nation building - Nehemiah was not out to build his name. The interest of the nation came first. There has to be a level of discontent with what is and a desire to see a better nation inside the leader. A leader cannot passionately convince others to follow if he/she is not fully convinced that this is what has to be done.
2. You need people to build a nation - A nation is actually people. For the building of national systems and structures, you cannot do that alone as a leader. You need the involvement of the willing citizens in order to get the tasks completed. When you sell the vision to the people clearly, they buy into the vision and before long the vision is well underway. Good leaders empower and delegate tasks to the people so that they feel a sense of belonging and contribution to the national success. Nehemiah organized people and got them to do the tasks.
3. Every meaningful development will face opposition - Whenever you set to build a nation, there will be elements opposed to the process who possibly have benefited from the state of ruins for a long time. The state of ruins signifies the collapse of national systems.
4. Not everyone can be the leader, someone has to lead - Nehemiah was the visionary behind the nation building process. Chaos emanates when every person thinks they too can lead and do it better than whoever is doing it now. Yes it creates a level of leadership competition but a nation just like a house needs one leader a time. Nehemiah did not lead forever, he still passed on the baton to others.
5. Nation building happens better when there is order and peace - Nehemiah followed protocol in the nation building process. He went to seek permission from the king before the process began. He did not just wake up and start running with the vision. He understood that in order for the vision to be a reality it needed the backing and support of the influential people in the nation. You may have good nation building intentions but they have to be exercised in the confines of structures that exist in the interest of order and peace.
6. It takes strategy not just muscle to build a nation - Careful planning took place before the actual building process commenced. You rather spend time planning how you will do it, writing down the processes, testing them on paper, allocating resources and so on. Any project undertaken without a project plan is doomed to fail. Nehemiah takes time to survey the extent of the problem and commits himself as project leader. He makes the problem clear to everyone to get their buy in. Resources were prepared in advance, the timber and so on. All this was strategic in getting people ready for what lay ahead; nation building process where there was a simultaneous operation of building and fighting.
7. Nation building is a risk worth taking - Nehemiah could not sit and watch the state of the walls becoming deplorably irreparable by the day. It is a risk to decide to lead a mob of people to build a nation. You face extreme opposition that threatens your own comfort and security. However, the benefits of the initiative far outweigh the pains and uncertainties that come with nation building. When you then celebrate the journey everything seems worth it in the end. Nehemiah refused to quit even though it seemed like an option. He looked beyond the risks and encouraged people to press in till the walls were built.
Rabison Shumba is a young African entrepreneur who has interests in Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture and Mining. He is also a motivational speaker, trainer and author. His book, The Greatness Manual and various online articles are tools for personal and professional development. Together with 100 other Career Experts, Rabison co-authored the 101 Great Ways to Enhance your Career. Rabison has a personal vision of impacting the lives of children in marginalized communities by creating platforms for career counsel and guidance, information empowerment and capacity building through the Greatness Factory Trust, where he currently holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting Executive Director. He is actively involved in the organization of career enhancement and guidance colloquiums to propel and inspire both young and mature professionals to greatness. His areas of expertise include strategy, leadership, personal and professional development. Rabison is married to Jackie, and they have two daughters. They reside in Harare, Zimbabwe. http://www.greatnessmanual.com or http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rshumba
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