Ancient Leadership Wisdom Moses and Delegation

Ancient Leadership Wisdom - Moses and Delegation
By Brian Westover

An instance from the life of Moses teaches us about an essential tool for any leader - the art of delegation.

Exodus 18: 13 - 24 (From the King James Version of the Old Testament)

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

And Moses father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

Moses and Delegation

In ancient history, Moses stands as one of the most influential leaders of the ancient world. Raised as royalty in Egypt, he later became the leader of the Hebrews who were enslaved by Egypt. Ultimately, Moses led his people from Egypt, and into the surrounding wilderness.

From a leadership perspective, Moses had a great deal on his plate. He led more than a million people, in matters religious, political and even in day to day activity. Because of his prominent position as a religious figure, his counsel was sought as a judge in almost all matters. We read in Exodus 18:13 that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. So many people sought his advice that it filled his day completely, leaving no room for any other activity, regardless of how important.

We read further on that Moses did so out of a perceived obligation. Because he was their prophet, he felt compelled to address every request for his time and attention. This is a common feeling among leaders. Not wanting to ignore the needs of those they lead, it is easy for new or inexperienced leaders to be overwhelmed by the demands placed upon them, and to try to do too much themselves.

Moses father-in-law, Jethro, watched all of this one day. Whether Jethro had past leadership experience is not made clear, but is likely, given the pointed advice he gave to Moses. Jethro saw clearly that Moses was seeking to do too much, and told him so, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

When placed in a leadership position, one has to keep several factors in mind. There is of course the need to meet individual wants and needs, but this is a secondary concern. When leading a group, the needs of the group come first. A leader is committed first to the group, then to the individuals that comprise its members. Next, a leader must be in a position to lead, to meet the needs of both the group and its members. If not, then both of those concerns go unaddressed. So we see that as a leader, one has to also take care of oneself. A failure to do so is a failure to care for the group. These three interests the needs of the group, the needs of the leader, and the needs of the individuals in the group must be kept in balance. Any failure to meet these three is a failure to effectively lead.

Moses had made this same mistake. By focusing on the needs of individual members of the group, the needs of the entire group went unmet. The personal cost to the leader created a situation that couldnt sustain itself; eventually, the strain placed on Moses would be too much. Without their leader, the group, both as a whole and on an individual level, would be lost, and would likely fail.

How then can these three important interests be balanced? Jethro teaches his son-in-law, the answer to this problem is delegation. Alone, one person cannot do it all, not for such a large group. There is simply too much for any one man to do. There needs to be a clear idea of what role the leader must fill. Moses, being the prophet of the Hebrew people, was the only one capable of speaking the will of God to those he led. This was a role he needed to fill. There were other matters that were more mundane in nature that others could deal with. Personal disputes, division of labor and goods, and the day to day difficulties that arise in any group these could be taken care of by others.

Jethro outlined for Moses a simple hierarchy of managers some in charge of groups of ten, then fifty, some over hundreds, some over thousands. On the lowest level, individuals were dealt with ten at a time. The leader above them had responsibility for five of those small group leaders. This structure continued upward to Moses, creating a simple organization, but one perfectly capable of organizing the million or more people that Moses was responsible for. Should a crisis arise that required the involvement of Moses, he was free to do so, no longer weighed down by lesser concerns.In our own lives, delegation can be a powerful tool. As a coordinated group, people can accomplish great things, but it is uncommon for great things to occur without the influence of one who acts as a leader. Someone must bring the group together and point them in the right direction. Someone must coordinate the efforts of the group, and must keep things running smoothly. You can be that leader, but to do so, you need to realize you cannot do everything. Let others assist you, and you will find yourself doing so much more.

Brian Westover is an author specializing in personal motivation and growth. He is the director of Project Superhero, an exploration of human growth and potential. To learn more about the author or Project Superhero, visit the Project Superhero website.

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