Dear Families,
It is almost time for Purim and as I looked through all the various notes and resources for something new and different, I came across the book What Queen Esther Knew by Connie Glaser and Barbara Smalley.
The Tanakh is an amazing resource to guide us in all aspects of life. Certainly the stories in the book of Genesis are filled with incredible parenting advice (never to follow, of course), but the Torah and the rest of the Jewish Bible has much to say on business — mainly how to be an ethical business person.
However, this book details the many amazing skills of Queen Esther that would help any of us in the business world or really any setting. Here is a brief listing of the skills that we can learn from the queen:
Ascension: making a royal first impression
First impressions count, learn the “palace” protocol, dress to take over the throne, carry yourself like a queen, make a grand entrance, establish a royal presence
Find a mentor to open your eyes and doors: Esther found the eunuch in charge
It pays to know the palace gossip
Tapping into the office grapevine, engineering positive gossip about yourself, knowing when to quip and when to zip your lip
Mapping out your plan of attack
Know when to take command, working around the rules, devising a battle plan, having a backup, increasing visibility, building alliances
Communicating with the clout of a queen
Body language, intuition, meeting your enemies head-on, knowing your audience, setting the stage to take control, picking your battles
Final details:
Dealing with life’s Hamans, keeping the faith, let the story be told
Look at these skills as you read the Megillah this year. Applaud Esther as not only a beautiful queen but a woman who knew how to use her talents.
Shalom … from the Shabbat Lady.
Laura Seymour is director of camping services, Aaron Family Jewish Community Center.