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Fr. Pinto Paul is the International Director of the Boston-based Holy Cross Family Ministries. In this role, he oversees the programs and services at centers in 17 countries
Leadership is the most influential factor in the success of any organization: a business, a church, or a family.
For over ten years, I served as a missionary in northeast India. In the first parish, another priest and I had 25 village chapels within a radius of 250 Miles to serve. We were challenged to visit and celebrate mass in each village 4 or 5 times a year. However, the villages that had good leaders really thrived. You may know groups of families here in the United States or elsewhere that are thriving beautifully as a Domestic Church clearly because of the leader's leadership.
In his book on management Good to Great, Jim Collins identifies Five levels of leadership.
Level 1 leaders are capable individuals who make productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.
Level 2 leaders are team members who contribute individually to the achievement of group objectives and work effectively with others.
Level 3 leaders are managers who organize people and resources effectively to pursue predetermined objectives efficiently.
Level 4 leaders are leaders who catalyze commitment to a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.
And
Level 5 leaders are executives who build greatness through a blend of personal humility and professional will.
I find leaders at Level 5 ambitious, not for themselves, but for their organization. They build up others for success, not themselves. They have a compelling vision and are driven to meet high standards for performance. And they do it all with humility.
Jesus is the most outstanding, humble leader who ever walked on earth. He is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28)(Mk. 10:45). Paul, the Apostle, says Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7). God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Many of us are leaders. We are invited to grow in our leadership roles, be it in our family or our organization, filled with God's life and power. Job in the Old Testament was humble. He said, "Naked, I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord."
Are we ready to humble ourselves and to serve as Job and Jesus did?
Are we ready to humble ourselves and to serve as Job and Jesus did?
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