Michelangelo, detail of the creation of Adam

Context:

Genesis, the first part of the Old Testament in the Bible, encompasses stories of God’s early struggles and triumphs as the leader of his created Earth.  It begins with the Creation Stories: two stories depicting God’s initial development of Earth, its landscape, and its beings.  It then continues from Earth’s original population of just two humans, Adam and Eve, and follows the descendants through their lives on Earth. Through each account in Genesis, the reader can not only learn how to succeed as a leader, but also how to fail. 

Leadership Principles from Genesis

1. Correct With Mercy

• When disciplining, a little mercy should be shown to ensure that the person being punished will be capable of reform.  No matter what the situation, the purpose of punishment is to reduce occurrences and it is wise to avoid vicious cycles.
• “And the Lord God made skin coats for the human and his woman, and he clothed them. And He drove out the human and set up east of the garden of Eden, the cherubim, and the flame of the whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 1: 21-4).
• Application: This is useful for any leader who will have to deal with discipline and reform in a context where they cannot chose who they lead, such as a prison or a public school.

2. Create a Cause Worth Following

• It is important to have followers motivated.  They need a cause to be enthusiastic about. An example of creating or choosing a cause worth following can be found in the story of Abraham. God promises Abram a great nation in a way that appeals to both glory and doing good.
• “And the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your land and your birthplace and your father's house to the land I will show you. And I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing…”’ (Genesis 12:1-4).
• Application: Any political movement will have to utilize this habit, considering a movement doesn't gain its power from the leader but from the support of its followers.
   

3. Cooperation Is Key

• When the people of Babel begin to build a tower to Heaven, God orders the languages of the humans to be scrambled so that he can maintain ultimate power.  By doing this, he is preventing his followers from reaching success.  A leader must always encourage and promote cooperation.
• “‘…Let us then go down and there confused their language, so that one will not understand what another says’” (Genesis 11.7). 
• Application: In the business world, it is important for leaders to allow followers to cooperate in order to form new ideas.  If a leader does not involve others in projects, then success will never be achieved due to a lack of cooperation.
  
  

4. Set A Clear Plan

• In the Creation stories, God explains his plan for Earth to the humans by telling them to enjoy the gifts of the earth and to participate in reproduction.  Leaders need to explain their plans clearly to those following them so that everyone can ‘be on the same page.’
• “God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1.28). 
• Application: On a cheerleading team, or any team for that matter, a coach and/or captain needs to portray his vision to the cheerleaders and set goals for the team to reach.  With this plan and these goals in mind, success can be much more easily achieved.