Too many people chase after what they believe is a great idea, only to slip and fail after a few steps. The book of Numbers contains business logic that can save us from flawed ventures, lackluster new products, embarrassing bravado, and lost battles.

In Numbers, God gives explicit instructions for organizing the Israelite nation of farmers and laborers into a fighting machine. Dozens of pages are devoted to details like hierarchy, placement of tribal camps, priestly task assignments, military marching order, teardown and setup of the Tabernacle, and so on.

Today’s best military minds would shrink from the logistical nightmare of organizing two million people into a single unit. But God instructed Moses to do just that. This divine guidance, written down in exacting detail, gives us a roadmap for bonding our own organizations together today. God’s instructions stress that training, organization and discipline are the building blocks for spiritual strength, which itself is the crucial ingredient of victory. Spiritual strength is the end, building skills and organizing resources are the means.

Near the end of World War II, the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious assault in history, under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. On June 6th, 1944 – better known as D-Day – President Franklin D. Roosevelt pleaded with the nation for “a continuance of prayer.” Winston Churchill said Operation Overlord was “undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult” assault ever coordinated under one banner. Soldiers lived in the British military metropolis for many months, conducting rigorous land, sea and air exercises. In part, the purpose of such training was to maintain discipline. If the soldiers’ attention were allowed to drift to thoughts of home or the enemy’s strength, fear would corrode their confidence. And as any soldier will tell you, an undisciplined army is already half-defeated. George Washington said, “Discipline is the soul of an army.”

General Eisenhower knew the importance of preparing his men’s spirits, not just their minds and bodies. According to a report published by the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, combat power is made up of more than well-trained military men and mighty machines. The report states that “spiritual strength” consists of the leaders’ level of command and control, the state of discipline and fighting spirit, quality of training and spirit of teamwork. The report’s conclusion is that no amount of tangible strength or skill can replace superior preparation, training and organization.

The Israelites weren’t trained soldiers – they were slaves. After God performed miracles to free them, Moses trained and organized them while they wandered in the desert. Experience became their teacher. Eisenhower and the Allies couldn’t rely only on skills, either, and he knew their masterful strategy would break down once the invasion began. In fact, the air assault initially failed – hundreds of paratroopers never made it to the ground behind German lines, and most of the survivors missed their landing zones, sprawling randomly across the countryside. Numerous soldiers suffered watery graves before ever touching the beach. Unexpected enemy response required the soldiers on the ground to constantly adjust strategy and improvise tactics.

Cultivating spiritual strength

General John P. Jumper, retired Air Force Chief of Staff, said, “Spiritual strength is an integral part of leadership. Our greatest leaders are able to elevate the human spirit and inspire extraordinary performance. Spiritual strength is what drives us to make sacrifices for others, for our nation and for the greater good.” 

How do we corral spiritual strength in our churches and companies? According to the U.S. Army’s report, it grows when we increase our command and control, excite our employees’ fighting spirit, provide quality training and develop a widespread spirit of teamwork.

But how do I translate all those fluffy-sounding words into my everyday leadership? I can’t do too much about people’s perception of my command and authority, I’m not a good enough motivator to inspire a frenetic fighting will, and I’m only fair at directing teams. The easiest, most tangible thing the average leader can do to bolster his or her people’s spiritual strength is to provide quality training. Here’s why: 

• Training enhances my appearance of command and control because I am organizing and teaching; since I’m promising to make them better performers, they give me their rapt attention.
• Training develops their discipline because I’m introducing new practices, habits and skills.
• Training increases their fighting spirit as they look for opportunities to try out their new skills.
• Training increases the spirit of teamwork when individuals see how important their specialized skills are to the larger group; they think, “The team can’t do without me now!”

A 2003 study by the Corporate Leadership Council reveals one more interesting fact about training:  more than 70% of employee commitment to the company is based upon manager interaction. Therefore, to increase and improve this interaction, leaders themselves should do the training. This increases their interaction with employees, improves their relationship with staff, and reinforces their leadership position. When employees see us – not some unknown outside consultant – holding the chalk during the training sessions, their respect for our skills increases.

The U.S. Army report agrees with this dynamic of aptitude perception: “The capability of the commander exerts enormous influence on the quality of the spiritual factor of his unit.”

The Gallup Organization estimates there are 22 million actively disengaged employees, costing the American economy up to $350 billion per year in lost productivity, including absence, illness, and other problems that result when workers are unhappy at work. Of course training isn’t the absolute panacea, but it is a simple tool at every leader’s fingertips that can drastically affect both morale and profit. 

Though I’ve selfishly overlooked this opportunity in favor of my own time and projects, engaging employees through training might just be the perfect method of remedying my anti-social tendency. If I stop delegating this important activity, I can play a direct role in making our staff a well-trained fighting force.

For discussion…
Are your own skills where they need to be?
When was the last time you personally trained a group?
Do you sense any disengagement among your employees?