"Let us never forget that authentic power is service."
- Pope Francis, page 43
"Commit to know yourself deeply, including your frailties, and come to some peaceful acceptance of yourself and your calling to lead. Then, commit to ‘get over yourself’ to serve a purpose greater than the self…"- Pope Francis, page 67
The Catholic Church is facing many challenges: dwindling church attendance, a shortage of priests, sex abuse scandals, loss of moral authority, and relevance. I believe one of the main reasons why Pope Francis is so highly regarded by people of all faiths is because he is authentic. He knows who he is and he has a vision of and for the Catholic Church. He has not said anything contrary to traditional church doctrine but his words have been inclusionary and reflect hope and direction for the future of the church.
Have you ever worked in a place where there was no vision? It’s just a job. Half of the employees are checked out, and the other half are searching for new positions. A leader with a vision can reengage these employees and halt the exodus. The leader can create hope that things can change, that things WILL change. A good workplace will link vision to purpose through the organization’s products or community service.
"What do you believe about yourself and your place in the world?"- Pope Francis, page 33
Lowney writes that Pope Francis wrote a personal credo of less than 200 words shortly before he was ordained. These statements reflect his core beliefs and convictions. As leaders, we should take this time to reflect on who we are and what we are called to do. This personal credo serves as a private compass or GPS for navigating the leadership journey. As Pope Francis said, “‘We can walk as much as we want, we can build many things,’ but if our leadership does not rest on a foundation of solid convictions, we waste the chance.”
How many of us take the time to reflect on the gifts and experiences we acquire and how they can best be used in the world? One of the things frequently mentioned in this book was the use of spiritual exercises, or examen, an investigation of the conscience, performed twice a day, generally at noon and the end of the day. Traditionally, the examen is composed of five steps:
1. Become aware of God’s presence
2. Review the day with gratitude
3. Pay attention to your emotions
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it
5. Look toward tomorrow
Lowney explains that the examen helps leaders commit to stay on track and to “stay faithful to the journey.” This walk becomes a way of managing the days of darkness and failure.
"‘Leadership’ no longer brings to mind the one person in charge but a set of behaviors needed from every person."- Pope Francis, page 23
Pope Francis’s leadership principles appear contradictory. For instance:
Know yourself deeply but live to serve others.
Immerse yourself in the world but withdraw from the world daily.
Live in the present and revere tradition, but create the future.
When Pope Francis was working in Argentina, he recognized that in order to solve problems, leaders must become involved in the problems of their people in order to find solutions. Lowney explains that Catholic parishes typically take a passive approach to marketing, so Pope Francis’s command to the priests was direct—and radical. “Well, you’re not going to find the answer sitting behind that desk,” he said. Father Gauffin recalls the commands:
The “smell of the sheep” is a powerful image Pope Francis has used repeatedly. A metaphor for lost and hurting humans, sheep are frequently mentioned in the Bible, whether as a directive to Peter to “feed my sheep,” recognition that we all have “gone astray like sheep,” or if we know our leader: “and the sheep listen to his voice…and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” We sheep are a fearful flock requiring much direction and encouragement. Pope Francis warns, “A Church that does not go out of itself, sooner or later, sickens from the stale air of closed rooms.” Good leaders will spend time with their people, understand their needs, and take care of them so the mission—the overall purpose greater than oneself—is achieved.
No one knows if Pope Francis will be able to bring about the radical change needed to “arrive precisely at the destination where we must arrive.” As Pope Francis said, “Have you understood? You won’t be afraid of the journey? Thank you.”
Chris Lowney chairs the board of Catholic Health Initiatives, one of the nation’s largest healthcare/hospital systems with some $ 19 billion in assets. He is a one-time Jesuit seminarian who later served as a Managing Director of J.P. Morgan & Co in New York, Tokyo, Singapore and London until leaving the firm in 2001. He is a popular keynote speaker who has lectured in more than two-dozen countries on on leadership, business ethics, decision-making and other topics.