When to Quit

Good leaders know when to quit. George Washington left the presidency, demonstrating the need for an orderly transition of power. In modern times, Nancy Pelosi, the most effective Speaker in history, stepped aside on her own volition. Angela Merkel retired from politics after 16 years as Germany’s chancellor. Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, quit although still young for a politician. All were strong, effective, and inspirational leaders. Right down to, perhaps the greatest test of leadership, knowing when to step down.

Who didn’t know when to quit? Napoleon, Mussolini, and Tsar Nicholas II did not know when to quit as they were despots without limits or a viable endgame. Their legacy was chaos and destruction. And leaders who were too old and sick to lead, like Woodrow Wilson, left the wider world rudderless.

Torah offers insight into the nature of a leadership transition. Moses was already old when his leadership was  challenged time and again. Moses was not ready to give up his role. Yet he was guided by the need for new leadership and the will of God.

Joshua took Moses’ mantle of leadership. In a supreme act of transition, Moses laid hands on his protege and imbued Joshua with some of his power. Joshua was a man imbued with spirit, presumably a godly nature, but he was not Moses.

Sadly, the model of leadership never reset. The tribes would splinter, and Joshua struggled for unity. Eventually, the entire leadership structure would dissemble as no single political leader could replace him until King Saul. At that time, the Hebrews battled both with neighbors and among their tribes. The Torah offers both a method of transferring power and a tale about the dangers of disunity.

Knowing how to use one’s position to secure a transition and when to step aside are elements of the right use of power. When it comes to the transfer of leadership we hope Presidents will be well-informed, open to different views, and not be intoxicated by their power. With those elements in mind, a leader should plan for the transition to new leaders.

Until now, the two leaders vying for the presidency, lacked appropriate appreciation of how power should transfer. One connived and incited insurrection. The other stepped aside hopefully averting a calamity for our nation.

We have had leaders enamored with power. Fearing the loss of power, some don’t know when to quit. Their ego directs them to stay in charge and remain confident of their abilities. As seen in the Torah, disunity, chaos, and (God-forbid) conflict is the sequel to failed transitions.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame