Leadership Matters

"Without a vision the people lose restraint; but happy is the one who follows instruction."

-Proverbs 29:18

Leadership matters. 

Whether titled or assumed, the leader of a group determines its trajectory. Just as a rising tide lifts all ships, an effective leader can bring out the best in others and amplify the efforts of the collective. Similarly, leaders can create unnecessary tension, anxiety, doubt, and fear. 

The cart follows the ox.

As leaders within a Catholic context, we must take the yoke of Christ upon us and lead others to Him. In this way, our discipleship impacts our leadership. 

In turn, discipleship matters.  

Jesus' messages throughout scripture include, “Follow me”, “Go, make disciples”, and “Feed my lambs.” He gives the disciples “authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness” and instructs His followers to proclaim the kingdom of God, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse leapers, and to give without cost (Mt. 10:1-15). Christ gives Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven during his installation as the first Pope, declaring that Peter is the “rock” upon which Jesus “will build (His) Church” (Mt. 16:13-20). The apostle Paul describes himself as a minister or steward, recognizing that “God cause(s) the growth” behind our human efforts” (1 Corinthians 3:1-9). 

Catholic school leaders must understand that we are called to inspire others to follow Christ and establish His kingdom here on earth “making (social) structures more conformed to the principles of the Gospel…form(ing) human beings who will make human society more peaceful, fraternal, and communitarian” (Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1982, para. 19). 

Research demonstrates the power of strong building-level leaders in schools: effective principals can yield an increase in student learning in reading and math of about three months (Grissom, Egalite, & Lindsay, 2021). Compared to the effects of a strong teacher, which remains confined to only the grade-level and/or subject of that educator, the positive gains of an effective principal affect the entire school community. Actions of these leaders include an emphasis on learning, building a productive climate, facilitating collaboration, and managing resources and personnel strategically. 

Additionally, effective leaders foster trust through humility, honesty, open and frequent communication, care for the human person, and following through on obligations consistently and with conviction. Strong leaders attract and surround themselves with dynamic teammates and they empower these members to use their gifts and lead others in turn. 

Finally and somewhat paradoxically, strong leaders embrace joyful and strategic servanthood, casting a vision for the future, designing systems and structures to bring it to life, and then selflessly offering his/her own gifts and talents to help others find success.    

Leadership matters. 

Discipleship does, too. 

Collaboration is a Force Multiplier

TEAM = Together Everyone Accomplishes More.

Birds fly in a V to increase the total distance that any one could fly on its own. 

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. 

United we stand, divided we fall. 

We are better together. 

My superpower is us. 

Collaboration is a force multiplier. 

The mystery of the Trinity declares our belief in a God who exists as a relationship - three persons in one God. Since we are made in God’s image and likeness, we are made to exist within relationships as well. We are made for each other and we are truly better together. 

Jesus often invited others to participate in the miraculous: the wedding at Cana, feeding the 5,000, and raising Lazarus from the dead all involved people working with Christ to bring about a miracle. Additionally, the disciples are often called in the context of community, as in the examples of the sets of brothers Andrew and Simon, and James and John. Jesus also reminds us that He is present where two or more are gathered in His name. And, as we witness in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles are sent out in pairs. 

Christ worked with others to advance His mission. Following His model, we understand that we must do the same: “Communion and mission are profoundly connected with each other, they interpenetrate and mutually imply each other, to the point that communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion” (St. John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 1988, para. 32).

In 1972, the Bishops of the United States, in a statement about the gravity of Catholic education, wrote the following: 

Beyond question the vision of the threefold educational ministry presented here is an ambitious one. Were it of human origin, one might well despair of its attainment. But since it represents God's plan, it must be energetically pursued. (To Teach As Jesus Did: A pastoral message on Catholic education, 1972, para. 31)

Not only must this mission be energetically pursued, it must be pursued alongside and in collaboration with others and with Christ. Only in this way can our human efforts be multiplied into superhuman forces.   

Collaboration takes on different forms in different circumstances. For example, sometimes collaboration entails the co-generation of ideas and products with a group. 

Sometimes collaboration requires a differentiated division of labor, where people work individually on distinct parts of an overall project. At times, collaboration might involve a mixture of both co-generation and differentiated integration. Similarly, collaboration may occur at various levels, at times in the ideation phase and at others to move something to a final decision. 

Leaning on the principle of subsidiarity, collaboration encourages us to engage and listen to the voices of those most involved in and/or affected by our work. 

Collaboration, however, does not mean that everyone participates in everything. For example, there are times where only a few have access to privileged information which must be kept in confidence. Similarly, involving everyone in everything is neither feasible nor productive. 

Instead, we multiply our forces by leveraging the gifts and talents of each individual to advance the collective mission of our Church, Diocese, Office of Catholic Education, and schools, honoring that “(t)here are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:4-5). 

We weren't meant to do any of this alone. In fact, we can't. 

But together...

Together, in collaboration with others, we can dream big and live bigger, because "(w)hat (we) dream alone remains a dream," but "what we dream with others can become a reality" (Edward Schillebeeckx).