I learned one of the most helpful leadership tools, which I utilized throughout my career, from my ex-military peers. It’s called an after-action review.
An after-action review is a structured project debriefing to analyze what happened, why it happened, and how it can be done better in the future.
The only way to get better, to keep moving forward, is to reflect on where you’ve been and what can be learned from the experience. We leverage the experience by capturing the knowledge of what worked and what didn’t into our future plans.
Done well and with discipline, after-action reviews equip us to enter a cycle of ever-improving results. An after-action review helps us to remember the past and learn from it moving forward.
In the Bible, we don’t read about leaders conducting after-action reviews. However, leaders did establish the practice of building memorials. The memorial’s purpose was to commemorate some special event and stand as a reminder to future generations. In effect, the memorial stone helped people remember not only what happened but the lessons learned to be passed on to future generations.
For example, when Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, they erected a memorial to remind future generations what God had done for the people, leading them out of slavery in Egypt and to the Promised Land.
He Named His Stone Ebenezer
In 1 Samuel 7:12, the prophet Samuel set up a memorial stone to mark the time when God interceded on behalf of the Israelites, saving them from the invading Philistines. Samuel named the stone “Ebenezer,” which means “stone of help.”
The Ebenezer stone served as a memorial to future generations. They were to live and work in a way that showed they remembered and were thankful to God for all He had done to help and protect them.
Future generations of Israelites would see the stone and remember the story of how God had protected them from the Philistines and be thankful for His continued protection in their lives.
I can imagine a family traveling along, and as they come across this stone memorial, a son asks, “Dad, why are these stones pilled up like that?” And dad says, “Son, let me tell you a story about the time God saved our people from the Philistines, how he led us and protected us all the way from Egypt to the Promised Land.”
Do You Need A Memorial in Your Life?
Throughout the scripture, there is a relationship between prosperity and humility and between difficulty and pride.
As long as the people remained humble, relying on God, they prospered. However, they suffered when they became prideful, forgetting what God had done in their lives. That’s why the memorials were so important. They reminded people of the peace and prosperity they enjoyed when they remained humble and dependent on God.
The same relationship between prosperity and humility and difficulty and pride exists today. When we remain humble, relying on God, He leads and protects us and allows us to prosper. However, when we forget God, or worse, ignore Him, as we pridefully think we can manage on our own without Him, then we will encounter difficulty in life.
Like Joshua and Samuel, we need a memorial to serve as a constant reminder of all God has done for us and to give thanks for His leading and protection in our lives.
I think I will go out and find myself a small stone and paint “Ebenezer” on it and put it on my desk. That way, every morning, when I come into my office and turn on the computer, the first thing I will see is my Ebenezer stone. Looking at that stone will trigger my own personal after-action review. I will remember all that God has done for me and be thankful for His continued leadership and protection in my life!
More Articles
I have written several articles on a leader’s humility. You can find them by typing “Humility” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are a few of the most recent ones.
- #406: Do Worldly Leaders Have an Inflated View of Self?
- #303: This Man’s Pride Almost Cost Him His Life
- #274: How Did Peter’s Failure Make Him A Better Leader?
- #223: Let Us Stop and Remember Whose We Are
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Do you need an Ebenezer stone on your desk to help remind you of all that God has done for you and remember to be thankful for His wisdom, protection, and grace in your life?
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Category: Personal Development | Humility
In law enforcement, after a tactical mission or major community event, our department brought in everyone involved (including our 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers) for a “debrief” which was the same as an after action review. We discussed what worked and what didn’t. Never pointing fingers, but simply looking for the lessons for next time. It took humility for some of us to admit where we made mistakes, but everyone learned in the process.
After action reviews of some type are common among first responder groups and the military, but sadly the business community and religious institutions rarely do. It was always helpful when I participated in them.