of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the book
of the Law. There was not a word that Moses had commanded that
Joshua did not read.’’ ( Josh. 8:32–35)
Another biblical master communicator was Ezra. Ezra understood
the power of verbal communication, supporting nonverbal dramatics,
and repetition, particularly when these were reinforced by the power
of group communication.
Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly . . . He read aloud from daybreak until noon . . . And all the people listened attentively . . .
Ezra . . . stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion . . . Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing
above them, and as he opened it, the people stood up. (Neh. 8:2–8:5)
What CEO or political leader wouldn’t envy the communicative
power that Ezra possessed? Moreover, this was not just a one-time
event, it was an ongoing campaign. ‘‘Day after day, from the first day
to the last, Ezra read from the book.’’ (Neh. 8:18)
A modern leader who appreciates the negative or positive power of
communication is Eric Schmidt, CEO of Novell, who noted that the
company he had taken over frequently exhibited dysfunctional commu-
nication patterns. He observes that in a culture of fear, people often
90
THE BIBLE ON LEADERSHIP
INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATION
The wisest leaders, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt with his ‘‘fireside
chats’’ to Hal Rosenbluth of Rosenbluth Travel with his ‘‘Hal Hotline,’’
know that it is important to make each person feel that he has direct
connection to and communication with the leader. FDR’s radio
‘‘chats’’ made each listener feel that he was addressing him individually.
Rosenbluth created a voice mail link where any associate (employee)
at any level can leave a message, and he responds personally to every
message. ‘‘It’s an avenue for me to keep my finger on the pulse of the
company, which is really the pulse of thousands of people,’’ he notes.
(Rosenbluth does not ignore the need for group forums, however. He
frequently has two-day focus groups with a cross-section of employees,
where he asks them to draw pictures depicting their feelings about the
company and probes for areas of frustration and satisfaction.1 Like for-
mer New York City mayor Ed Koch, he also asks his followers for
candid feedback on ‘‘How’m I doing?’’)
Martha Ingram of Ingram Industries did not neglect personal com-
munications when she took over this huge video wholesaler and book
distribution company after her husband died suddenly. Realizing the
power of individual connection—particularly at a time of leadership
transition—she installed a toll-free hotline that rings in her office. Any
employee who has a problem and feels she can’t go through normal
channels can call the CEO directly. The hotline is not used as often as
you might think (people still think twice before calling a CEO), but its
very existence serves as a humanizing and galvanizing force.2
The leaders of the Bible also understood the importance of individual
communication. Moses had frequent meetings with his young aide and
successor, Joshua. Jesus gave individual attention to each of his disciples.
One-to-one communication was particularly important between
Queen Esther, who was inside the seat of power, and her cousin Mor-
dechai, who could communicate her messages and suggested actions to
the endangered Jews, who were anxiously awaiting her every dispatch.
Communication
91
GROUP COMMUNICATION
Wise leaders leverage the power of individual communication with the
added power of group communication. Andy Grove of Intel had six
‘‘open forums’’ a year with groups of employees. Like many CEOs,
Grove spent much of his time communicating with the modern equiva-
lent of the king’s court and the high priests of his industry.
But like David convening with his ‘‘mighty men,’’ Grove cherished
the opportunity to speak with and rally his troops. ‘‘I find these open
forums far more stimulating, in terms of the variety and incisiveness of
the questions, than meetings with security analysts,’’ says Grove.3 And
by engaging in honest two-way communication with his charges,
Grove gained even more than ‘‘stimulation.’’ He gained increased loy-
alty and the increased flow of ideas that are created in a nonthreatening
environment.
Lands’ End, the mail-order apparel company based in Wisconsin,
also knows the power of group communication. Top executives of the
company meet regularly with seven lower-level employees (packers,
inseamers, monogrammers, sales and service people) for a ‘‘working
lunch.’’ Because these people are so close to the action, they come up
with some of the best ideas for improving the operation. No doubt
employee loyalty, performance, and retention are also reinforced by this
frequent communication.4
Another group reminiscent of David’s ‘‘mighty men’’ is OpenAir.
com, a Boston-based provider of business services software. At 9:30
each day, they convene a ‘‘Morning Huddle,’’ which is held by the
water cooler. Says CEO Bill O’Farrell, ‘‘We’re standing up (it’s unlikely
that David’s ‘‘mighty men’’ had time to sit in the heat of battle), we do
it quickly, and it’s not a bureaucratic exercise . . . It’s reemphasized that our company is built on collaboration.’’ There are no chairs allowed at
this meeting (a strong nonverbal reminder that this is an action-oriented
company and meeting), and everyone is expected to contribute.5
Joshua was a leader who understood the power of group communi-
cation and the use of it to maintain credibility and purpose. Since he
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THE BIBLE ON LEADERSHIP
had just succeeded Moses, the most powerful of Jewish leaders to that
time, it was important that he communicate consistency of message and
also invoke the power of his predecessor. He did this with a masterly
combination of verbal and nonverbal techniques.
First, Joshua ‘‘set the stage’’ dramatically by building an altar on a
mountaintop exactly as Moses had commanded. He also repeated
Moses’ message exactly, which further reminded his followers of his
direct acquisition of power from Moses, and he arranged the people
exactly as Moses had commanded. ‘‘There, in the presence of the Israel-
ites, Joshua copied on the stones the law of Moses . . . All Israel . . .
were standing on both sides of the ark . . . as Moses, the servant of the
Lord had formerly commanded . . . Afterward, Joshua read all the words
of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the book
of the Law. There was not a word that Moses had commanded that
Joshua did not read.’’ ( Josh. 8:32–35)
Another biblical master communicator was Ezra. Ezra understood
the power of verbal communication, supporting nonverbal dramatics,
and repetition, particularly when these were reinforced by the power
of group communication.
Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly . . . He read aloud from daybreak until noon . . . And all the people listened attentively . . .
Ezra . . . stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion . . . Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing
above them, and as he opened it, the people stood up. (Neh. 8:2–8:5)
What CEO or political leader wouldn’t envy the communicative
power that Ezra possessed? Moreover, this was not just a one-time
event, it was an ongoing campaign. ‘‘Day after day, from the first day
to the last, Ezra read from the book.’’ (Neh. 8:18)
A modern leader who appreciates the negative or positive power of
communication is Eric Schmidt, CEO of Novell, who noted that the
company he had taken over frequently exhibited dysfunctional commu-
nication patterns. He observes that in a culture of fear, people often
Communication
93
suppress their feelings. They don’t complain to their bosses for fear of
being disciplined or fired, but they will complain vociferously to their
peers, resulting in a culture of ‘‘cynicism and pervasive bellyaching.’’
Schmidt writes about the ‘‘Novell nod,’’ in which all present at a
meeting would publicly agree on an issue. As soon as the meeting broke
up, however, people would say to those with whom they felt comfort-
able, ‘‘That was the stupidest thing I ever heard.’’ Schmidt realized the
danger of this type of communication pattern, so he consciously acted
to reverse it. He created an early warning system. ‘‘I’ve told my staff to
sit down every day with everyone who reports to them and ask overtly
how they’re doing and if they’re happy. . . . Most of them will be honest
with you if you give them the opportunity.’’
Ironically for a high-tech executive, Schmidt is also a strong advocate
of face-to-face communication: ‘‘Politicians use the handclasp, and so
do the best industry leaders . . . Since I’ve been here, I’ve spent way
too much time on the corporate jet. I routinely hit five cities a day.
That lifestyle is grueling but utterly necessary.’’6
A biblical leader who embraced a grueling but utterly necessary travel
pattern for the sake of improved communication was the apostle Paul.