The Leadership ChallengeSample

Challenge 31

NEHEMIAH: CELEBRATING SUCCESS

READ: Nehemiah 12:27–43

As we conclude our extended look at Nehemiah’s leadership skills, we see him doing something that often gets overlooked after the successful accomplishment of the mission. At the end, after all the obstacles and opposition are overcome and the difficult work of building is finished, Nehemiah takes time to celebrate the success of his team. The outward focus has been rebuilding the wall to provide protection for the city, but the real work has been spiritual—to rebuild God’s people as they work together to accomplish the mission. That is God’s ultimate concern, and it needs to be the concern of Christian leaders as well. Effective leaders look for ways to celebrate success with their teams and so affirm what God is doing in their lives. Nehemiah’s celebration is an elaborate affair typical of many public military ceremonies, but your celebration can be more low key. As a part of my work as a life coach, I encourage clients to look for small ways to celebrate success, like rewarding themselves with a special meal or party or finally getting that special item they have wanted to purchase.

What are some of the components of Nehemiah’s celebration? What elements of this idea might you be able to incorporate into the celebrations of your own team?