Business Strategies from Nehemiah

If you missed Monday’s post, you might be a little lost today. We’re examining a summary of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, as told in the Old Testament, to find Nehemiah’s business strategies.

To recap, here’s our quote from The Promise and the Blessing.

“When Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem, he spent three days surveying the lay of the land before taking any action. Then he made a night trip around the city to assess the situation. It was only after this trip that he approached the leaders of the community with the job he had in mind. As he did so, he presented it as a problem of which he was part and proposed a common solution. He gave evidence that his solution would work by showing what God had done to that point.

Once he got agreement on the proposed solution, Nehemiah organized the forces in such a way that each of the groups felt an identity in their part of the project. Each family or professional group worked on the section of the wall closest to their houses or places of work. The different groups appear to have been set in competition with one another. As the work progressed and opposition arose, Nehemiah never lost sight of the objective. As a result, they were able to build the walls in 52 days.”

Nehemiah’s Business Strategies

Here’s what I take away from that story:

1. Nehemiah was passionate about this project. He had a vested interest in the city and the people.
2. He did not rush into action. He took 3 whole days to plan a course of action.
3. He knew his competition. He did a reconnaissance mission at night to view the city as an enemy army might.
4. He had a solid plan before he approached anyone for help.
5. He understood the politics of his day and showed respect for the customs of his people. He approached the elders and leaders before approaching the working Joe down the street.
6. He included himself as part of the problem. Yeah, that’s big.
7. He was humble. He didn’t take credit for the plan. In fact, he was very clear that without God, the plan was crap.
8. He inspired others. He reminded the people of the amazing things God had done for them up to that point.
9. He organized the people to help them feel important, significant, and integral to the completion of the project.
10. He let each group work near an area that they would see everyday as long as they lived in the city. The unfinished project grated on their nerves. They were responsible for how strong the section of wall was that protected their families, homes, possessions, and businesses.
11. He utilized a little healthy competition to speed things along.
12. Nehemiah was not surprised when opposition came. He expected it and did not grumble or give up.
13. He kept his eye on the goal, even when hard times came.

Think On It

What could you accomplish if you applied just a few of these prinicples to your business?

What would happen if you applied all of them?

What is possible if you applied these strategies to your personal life as well as your business?