Father Shay Cullen’s Reflections: On Leadership
August 28, 2019 ·
On Leadership
A strong, fair, just and confident leadership is hard to attain. How can we be strong, inspiring leaders to motivate others to do good, to be honest, hard-working, dedicated people of honor and integrity, virtuous and successful? The first answer is for each of us to strive to be truly like that ourselves.
Then, by practicing the virtues and teaching by example, others will imitate and follow. There is no motivation or inspiration by asserting ourselves over others whether it is in our family, at work, in the school, in the community. To try and lead by intimidating or bullying others is doomed to fail. It leads to failed relationships and broken families, shattered projects, lost production, dis-empowered people.
Jesus of Nazareth said that the rulers of this world act as tyrants as they try to be “Friends of the People.” It must not be like that for his followers. He said, “The eldest must be like the youngest and the leader must be like the servant. Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves him? The one who sits down, of course, but I am among you as one who serves,” he said. During the last supper, Jesus took a basin and water and a towel and washed the feet of his followers. This is how you must treat each other.
Gospel of Luke 22:24-27
