Spiritual Leadership

There have been plenty of discourses
regarding leadership, more so in the
realm of business than any other. But
as we have observed, leadership, in
it's core sense, transcends industrial
and cultural barriers and translates pretty much the same way in all fields. To emphasize leadership is a way of
being. Spirituality is a way being and
seeing wherein we base leadership on
in order to provide deeper meaning
and purpose to the decisions and
actions we make. As figures of authority, we usually have different
ways of dealing with subordinates
and company issues. Spirituality is one
endearing value that helps leaders
decide on how they will treat a person
or situation. Those that acknowledge spirituality in
their lives and positions usually work
to promote others. They endeavor to
build a community, which despite
being imperfect, tries to live up to the
teachings of the Bible and practice faith in God's wisdom. Most people
find leadership as an avenue to
exercise control and push for
expected goals. But what they do not
realize is that more than achieving
success, the most important function of a leader has something to do with
transforming minds, hearts and souls
and becoming actual models of
change. However, true spiritual (Ignatian)
leadership does not come easy and
may eventually be faced with
hardships and criticisms. Leaders who
put others first often fall short of
protecting and helping themselves, thereby causing great personal
demise. And since there are equivalent
expectations from leaders, those who
cannot deliver them or go against
them, are more or less subject to the
frustrations and disappointments of their subordinates and superiors. Apart from this, another challenge that
leaders face is accepting an adaptive
role, wherein they are obliged to unite
the community and as a whole,
undergo a change that neither is
pleasant or reassuring. The process will involve admittance of
accountability for problems, the
sharing of fears and burdens and
reflection upon which act really seeks
to please God. This will not be simple
in the face of uncertainty and pain. And will therefore cause the leader
greater hardships. It is flattering to be in a position of
power. And everyone can earn it or
become instated as such. However,
good leadership - spiritual leadership,
as seen in people like Ghandi, Martin
Luther King, and Jesus, are judged by practice. And it is an experience that is
both life altering and life threatening.
Good leadership is a high-priced
privilege that may inevitably lead to
your crucifixion and death. But it is
certainly not in vain.