Servant Leadership, Spirituality, and Communio CEAP National Convention 2017 Fr Karel S San Juan SJ Ateneo de Zamboanga University
The call of Christian leadership is servant leadership Servant leadership builds communio The call of Christian leadership is to serve like Christ There is joy in this love and service We know in faith
It is hard to be a servant leader There are difficulties and challenges But there is hope and joy We need to reflect on these more We know as leaders
1. The hard realities of being servant leaders 2. The call to be inspiring leaders 3. The need for spirituality in leadership These will help us build communio What I can share
HARD REALITIES CALL TO INSPIRE SPIRITUALITY OF LEADERSHIP What I can share
1. HARD REALITIES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP A hard and honest look at servant leadership Hard because it is difficult to admit them and accept them as realities in our leading; they can be embarrassing We often deny them, and be defensive about them These are the sensitive dimensions of leading They define our striving and struggles to be authentic leaders We need to face them to be better leaders
1. HARD REALITIES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP a. WE EXPERIENCE DEFICIENCIES We are limited; there is always not enough Skills, abilities, and knowledge; including spiritual capacities like discernment Energy, drive, stamina Personality, gifts Our love and service is always lacking
1. HARD REALITIES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP b. WE EXPERIENCE FEARS Basic reluctance to lead, be chosen to lead, to exercise leadership; we hesitate to really lead Afraid to make difficult decisions; we are not free Afraid to take risks: failure, mistakes; being misunderstood, unpopular, isolated Afraid to be inconvenienced, uncomfortable, disturbed; to suffer the pain
1. HARD REALITIES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP c. WE MISUSE OUR POWER Being vulnerable to power and using it wrongly We use it for the self: self-entitlement, narcissism, grandiosity, arrogance, abuse, tyranny We do not use it: afraid, unsure, laid-back Need responsible use of power and authority: for others, as service
HARD REALITIES CALL TO INSPIRE SPIRITUALITY OF LEADERSHIP OUR DEFICIENCIES OUR FEARS OUR MISUSE OF POWER
BECAUSE OF THESE HARD REALITIES We fall short in leading We lead, but not enough; we are not quite effective; there is something lacking Leadership becomes pwede na, ok na lang, mediocre People are averse to lead We do not build communio At worst: destructive leadership
THE CALL OF LEADERSHIP TODAY IS TO BE INSPIRING Why? Leaders need to inspire people not just so they can follow But so they can be leaders as well We need more leaders, big and small; at the top, middle, and bottom To change the world; the more complex world we have, which is becoming more and more difficult to lead More leaders and followers build the communities we desire: communio
HARD REALITIES OUR DEFICENCIES CALL TO INSPIRE HUMILITY SPIRITUALITY OF LEADERSHIP OUR FEARS COURAGE OUR MISUSE OF POWER MAGNANIMITY How to inspire? It flows from the hard realities of servant leadership
2. THE CALL TO INSPIRE a. HUMILITY To recognize, admit our deficiencies and vulnerability And be open to listen, to learn, to ask help, to receive feedback Humble leaders inspire
2. THE CALL TO INSPIRE b. COURAGE To recognize, admit our fears, anxieties, insecurities And to transcend these and take risks Audacity : holy boldness Courageous leaders inspire
2. THE CALL TO INSPIRE c. MAGNANIMITY To recognize, admit our misuse of power And to see power as service, use it for others, share it with others Depth and largeness of heart and soul; generosity; magis Magnanimous leaders inspire
2. THE CALL TO INSPIRE These three have to integrate Can be humble but not courageous Can be courageous but not humble, not magnanimous Can be magnanimous but not humble What charisma or integrity is about The unique power of servant leaders
Pope Francis speaks 18
Pope Francis speaks on power and tenderness [TED Talk]
Pope Francis speaks on power and tenderness The third message I would like to share today is, indeed, about revolution: the revolution of tenderness. And what is tenderness? It is the love that comes close and becomes real. It is a movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands. Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future.
Pope Francis speaks on power and tenderness To listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted earth. Tenderness means to use our hands and our heart to comfort the other, to take care of those in need. Yes, tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility.
Pope Francis speaks on power and tenderness Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you don t, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other. There is a saying in Argentina: "Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach." You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you don t connect your power with humility and tenderness.
Pope Francis speaks on power and tenderness Through humility and concrete love, on the other hand, power the highest, the strongest one becomes a service, a force for good. The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies. Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a "you" and themselves as part of an "us." We all need each other.
WHERE LIES OUR HOPE AS SERVANT LEADERS? Our hope is in Jesus, our leader, teacher, formator The call is very challenging, even impossible Why we need Jesus, His Spirit Why spirituality is necessary in leadership Our dependence on Him will keep us in line We need to be formed to be servant leaders We allow Jesus to form us As He formed His disciples like Peter
JESUS FORMS PETER AS A LEADER
HARD REALITIES CALL TO INSPIRE JESUS FORMS US: The example of Peter OUR DEFICENCIES HUMILITY WASHING OF THE FEET OUR FEARS COURAGE JESUS WALKS ON WATER OUR MISUSE OF POWER MAGNANIMITY DO YOU LOVE ME? FEED MY LAMBS JESUS FORMS US TO BE SERVANT LEADERS
SPIRITUALITY OF LEADERSHIP Being formed by Jesus the Servant Leader Allowing ourselves to be formed This is the grace of office of leaders We are chosen, anointed, taught, formed, blessed We struggle, we depend on Christ, we are formed
HARD REALITIES CALL TO INSPIRE SPIRITUALITY OF LEADERSHIP OUR DEFICENCIES HUMILITY HUMILITY OUR FEARS COURAGE JESUS OUR MISUSE OF POWER MAGNANIMITY COURAGE MAGNANIMITY SERVANT LEADERSHIP, SPIRITUALITY, COMMUNIO
1. How do we experience the hard realities of servant leadership? 2. How can I be more inspiring as a leader? 3. How is Jesus forming and leading you? How have you experienced the grace of office? REFLECTION & CONVERSATION
CALIXTO'S PRAYER (from Ignacio de Loyola movie) May God grant you safe passage on all your journeys ahead. May you find companions worthy of your dreams. May your plans always be bold and may your courage rise to meet them. May you live to bring the love of God to all the corners of the earth, to the most distant peripheries of His Church. And may your passion always burn brightly, that in God's time, you may set the world on fire.