The visionary leader and their followers must decide when “enough-is-enough” and when the mantle of leadership must be passed on to the next generation. Sandstrom and Smith (2005) introduce the story of Moses during his final years of leadership. In the forty years of leading Yahweh’s people, Moses had his good days and bad days, like any leader. He even lost his temper. This is a very natural response when you are leading an entire community of grumbling and rebellious people. It was during one of those days that he did something that kept him from going the whole distance, from entering the Promised Land. He got them to the plains of Moab, but Yahweh would not allow him to enter, to cross the Jordan River because of one moment of disobedience. That must have been heartbreaking for Moses. However, he knew Yahweh was justified, as Yahweh always is, in his guidance of the Israelites.
There is one feature about Moses that makes him the best example for this best practice—about influencing and inspiring other members of one’s organization or community to also become great leaders. It is about showing them, by personal example, the path to effective leadership. It is about shaping the future leadership potential of a new generation of leaders. As Sandstrom and Smith (2005) note, Yahweh did not allow Moses to enter the land he had promised his people. Moses delivered his farewell messages to a whole new generation of Israelites born and raised up in the desert during those forty years. Millions of these new generation Jews were camped on the banks of the Jordan facing the huge and foreboding walled city of Jericho. But Moses would soon be dead. Now what? Who would lead them into the land?
The Torah tells us that Yahweh had a plan. He always did, according to both the Hebrew bible and the Christian bible. Someone had been paying close attention to Moses and how he had led his ragtag band of Israelites for the past several years. Someone caught the sacred vision. They were greatly influenced by Moses’ obedience and reliance on God for his strength. Someone was mentored and discipled by Moses. Someone was ready to become the new leader of this new nation. Someone else would boldly lead the people across the Jordan River. The leader-designate was Joshua.
Here is what Sandstrom and Smith (2005) have to say about the leadership offered by Joshua:
“Joshua came out of Egypt as a young man. He had witnessed and remembered the leadership of Moses in good times and bad. The leadership model of Moses inspired and influenced Joshua for all those years. He knew of Moses’ complete trust in Yahweh, not his own strength. He knew of Moses’ obedience, no matter what. He knew of the victories and the defeats. He watched and grew as a leader under Moses’ tutelage. And he was ready when the big show began. Moses did not get to witness the incredible entrance into the land of Canaan. But it was because of Moses’ leadership, and his trust in the God of Israel first, that shaped and influenced the successful leadership of Joshua – one of Israel’s greatest leaders.”
This matter of succession constitutes perhaps the most important decision that an organizational leader can make. When do I move on and how do I help the next generation succeed? A little wisdom and guidance will be helpful at this decision point. It is a matter of identifying a vision that speaks to and points to a higher and greater reality. With this transcendent perspective in place, the matter of ownership for a vision or the matter of passing the vision on to the next generation is resolved.
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