Articles
Inspiration & Transformational Leadership
George Savvides
August 29, 2011
This talk was an address to support the deployment of Chaplains in secular contexts. Spirituality is a part of the human experience and it is the source of inspirational leadership.
It may sound odd, having spent 20 years as a CEO but I am even more passionate now then ever about the subject of leadership, in particular inspirational leadership capable of producing community and organisational transformation.
I think we all would agree the world is in desperate need of leaders, leaders who leave their assignment in better shape than what they started with.i.e.not a leader defined by "what I control" but "what I created or enabled to happen.
I'm not talking about good management, or cost cutting, I'm talking about business or organisational renewal.
I've often had times when I was confronted with what seemed insurmountable business challenge, questions not solved before due to unique circumstance.(NB working thru one @ Medibank at the moment with over 65's going from 1:25 in 1920 to 1:4 in 2050 of population, (1:7 today) since the start of my talk 4 Australia turned 65.
Corporate leaders are not the only people that are confronted with difficult problems, just listen into the stories of one of the chaplains and we find many challenges calling on them to draw upon deep personal courage to assist young people with the challenges that come into their lives.
Transformational leaders make real & direct connection in relationships, they have distinctive characteristics typified by courage, inspiration or deep conviction that provides the strength to take on the harder challenge,... to lead renewal, to be transformational, whether they operate at a corporate, societal, community or individual level.
I think its interesting that in the Corporate world, when leaders engender a strong sense of purpose in their business, and deep engagement with their staff, where the job becomes mission, and the corporate values call for a total team commitment to accountability, integrity, respect to realise organisational purpose, such achievements are applauded as "great". So what are these characteristics of greatness in organisations or their leaders?...my interest in this area has helped me a great deal, let me share with you what I found....but before I do
...I have to declare another variable, my cultural frame of reference that sits behind my Sydney birthplace, and that this....my Greek Cypriot upbringing and the Greek orthodox foundation that came with it. So my enquiry into inspirational leaders, their character & motivation found me drawn to authors who held both a practical demonstration of leading change linked to a world view that allows room for the unexplained, the unquantifiable and the spiritual dimension to life and vocation. This dimension is not new, or unusual, if you know anything about a Greek village, Sunday and Monday are well connected, belief is as natural as the air your breath, as is the contest for hospitality and generosity. (excluding maybe the tourist villages)
As an aside, on the theme of connecting Sunday to Monday, faith inspired organisations continue to provide value in our society. My company Medibank contracts around 25% of its $4 billion pa of hospital services from faith based hospital providers, such as catholic healthcare etc. Australia's formation since European settlement has greatly benefited from faith based agencies in social welfare, humanitarian aid, hospitals & schools, in fact 80% of humanitarian aid and social services to needy and disadvantaged Australians come from faith based agencies, and these agencies started by Christians with a faith inspired motivation....or should I say inspiration.
So it is no surprise that I am attracted to modern leadership studies such as
Jim Collins' "Good to Great" in which Level 5 leaders...coaches rather than captains with a humble but deep resolve to realise the vision and resist the temptation of complacency. The enemy of great being good. Leaders who leave behind something that's better, or even transformed, and better still, sustainable & relevant.
Patrick Lencioni's 5 Dysfunctions of a Team where we wrestle with the discipline of team over individual
Nikos's book Purpose, which reveals the creative & enduring power of companies or movements that retain a deep sense of purpose for why they exist
More confronting is the Arbinger Institute's narrative in which leadership and self deception point to the blinding power of self absorption that often captures the leader, they become blind to self and blind to the needs of others, addicted to their 'me' agenda, sucked into their vortex of vanity.
Arguably the most profound book on human character and leadership celebrates its 400th anniversary this year, ie the KJB (AV) Bible. Its influence on the English language, our values, imagination and culture has been profound. Friend & colleague Peter Corney writes-
"From William Blake's poetry and Steinbeck's East of Eden to a recent work, Atonement by the novelist Ian McEwan, and the film that followed, the influence continues. To fully appreciate the poetry of John Milton or T S Elliot requires an understanding of the Bible. It is also hard to read the words of the Prophet Micah (6:8) or Mary's song (Luke 1:46-55) or Jesus' manifesto of his ministry (Luke 4:16-21) without being inspired about justice fairness and equality!"
Yes I agree Peter.
The inspiration drawn from the biblical narrative is evident in the overwhelming volume of human creativity unlocked in literature, art and music when human spirituality is stirred. That same inspiration has lifted leaders to move beyond their own agendas and be truly transformative.
Other inspirational leaders include people like Dr Martin Luther King prayed a week before the protest in Montgomery, that went onto to become a march that changed a nation....
"Lord, I hope no one will have to die as a result of our struggle in Montgomery he prayed, certainly I don't want to die, but if anyone has to die, let it be me". What an example of Grace!
Even voices which are critical, such as Richard Dawkins, has said
You can't appreciate English literature unless you are steeped to some extent in the King James Bible...not to know (it) is to be, in some small way, barbarianAndrew Motion, former British Poet Laureate and self confessed non believer, in an interview in The Guardian laments the widespread ignorance of the Bible today. He recommends that all children should be taught the Bible in school since, without it, they cannot hope to understand history and literature. Melvyn Bragg, in his recent "The Book of Books - the radical influence of the King James Bible", outlines its deep and positive influence on English speaking culture, society and politics. It has, he says,
"driven the making of that world over the last 400 years."
Many of the critics forget the very critical role the Bible has played in forming the very liberal freedoms they espouse so loudly. It is ironic that the secular beneficiaries' of this legacy now want to exclude its study from our schools. When the first King James Bible was printed 400 years ago, like the internet, it empowered new generations of people, giving them open access and freedom to know the source documents that framed their religious & faith experiences & heritage, without the distortion of religious power brokers.
What earthly reason, says Nick Spencer author of Freedom and Order, is there for a ruler to surrender himself to the same laws as his subjects? It seems so obvious to us now. But it remains far from obvious to a host of north African dictators who have recently fallen, and was certainly not obvious to the innumerable kings and emperors of the past. The Western political tradition was profoundly influenced by the biblical ideal that the law was over everyone (Deut 17: 14-29) and Kings were ultimately accountable to God. We find the interpretation down the ages, Shakespeare for example frames his narratives with the assumption that the King is appointed through God's consent and is accountable to the same.
Reinhold Niebuhr: Man's capacity for Justice makes democracy possible but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.
The Biblical narrative , can bring to young students an understanding of human behaviour – pride, jealousy, greed, desired humility, compassion, selfless service and other admirable qualities – presented in a context of mankind's search for meaning and purpose. Its strange to say this but in the corporate world we want people and organisations that reflect these qualities.
Simone Weil, she was a French philosopher (I really like her work) she died at just 33, a member of the French resistance and a Jew who followed Christ described this human nature in an interesting way: I like her clarity maybe influenced from the context of a world at war....she wrote
"Two great forces rule the universe, gravity & grace. Gravity attracts to itself, enlarging more & more into itself. It is in us, this face of self interest, self absorption, to accumulate, to store treasures, security increased, success, popularity, all about us" ...'All natural movements of the soul are controlled by laws analogous to those of physical gravity"Well is she right? Read our newspapers, watch the news. Even a Global Financial Crisis did not prevent bonuses being paid to investment bankers who sold synthetic instruments, instruments that ultimately broke the economies of nations, destroyed millions of jobs and wiped out household savings. We watched this gravity play out before our eyes.
"Grace [says Philip Yancey] is Christianity's best gift to the world, a spiritual nova in our midst, exerting a force greater than vengeance, racism, hate".
Some may scoff and say we can fix this gravity through tougher laws and better education, the force of legislation or a broader investment in ethics, all helpful ideas but don't hold your breath- the markets continued to crash last week, but the bonuses will continue to flow to those that sold the cancerous bonds.
We can see in the News Corp media revelations in the UK a few weeks ago that show how deep journalists powered by gravity (self absorption) could not draw the line between black & white invading the personal privacy & in some cases grief of families. This gravity is powerful stuff. There is nothing unique about gravity, but it needs more than ethics, legislation or education to contain it.
He said it a long time ago but the gravity of self absorption caught the eye of Sir Francis Bacon
"If money be not thy servant, it will thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth as that maybe said to possess him"
The problem is not what we stash our treasurers away but rather the delusion that there is comfort in accumulation...........& the U2 song rings in my head...."I still haven't found what I am looking for"
Ron Heifeitz (Adaptive Leadership guru, surgeon & classical pianist) you can fix the heart but you cannot change the heart, citing the 80% relapse to smoking within 12 months of heart bypass surgery. The problem I am referring to is not about morality, it's about a deep transformation more powerful than logic or intellect
On the other hand in Grace: which requires a step of faith and humble self acceptance, we see the power to turn the self interest vector around making it possible to serve the interests of others, or better still, reach out and care for others with a compassion and conviction to address injustice and oppression, more broadly a world in need. We see the very best of human expression when Grace overcomes Gravity.
The creative genius Tolkien, inspired by the biblical narrative had his own metaphor for Gravity (self absorption) & Grace. His inspiring characters in the Lord of the Ring reflect a humble generosity of spirit, Frodo provides inspiration through his courage and a sacrificial friendship which eventually restores order in middle earth, or should I say his leadership is transformative. The wisdom of the narrative constantly reminds us of the danger of gravity represented in the power of the Rin......."precious" says the tragic Gollum caught and captured by forces against which he has no defences.
I recall, as I reflect on my 12 years on the Board at World Vision, some of the wonderful examples of very ordinary people working in the most difficult settings of human poverty.
I found here in the most remote and difficult parts of the world young leaders inspired by grace, buying into the faith conviction of the organisation which inspired them overcome their own self orientation, ie the gravity of self interest and instead reach out to a humanity desperate to receive compassion, kindness, justice.
Whilst every job has an implied obligation to the employer, when an employee is inspired & engaged, a job turns to vocation, its what Frederick Buechner meant when he said......
"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet"When I hear the stories of the impact that Chaplains have I can begin to understand the depth of commitment, empathy and compassion they bring to their vocation, (obviously more than a job) often at a significant personal cost I reflect on Buechner's words.
Inspiration is more than simply logic or rational intelligence. Its source is deeper and more resilient and springs from the human need for meaning and significance. When I say more than rational, I am not advocating irrational behaviour. Rather I am advocating for inspired behaviour & leadership. They are not opposites, they are both and. Its analogous to the leadership wisdom of Jesus when he said if anyone wants to sue you and take you shirt let him have you coat also, or if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two Matt 5 :40, 41 not logical but inspirational.
Ask a Chaplain how often they have to go an extra mile to help a young person or community.
Chris Hedges: the transcendent, that which cannot be measured or quantified, that which lies beyond the reach of logical deduction. We all encounter this aspect of existence, in love, in beauty, alienation, loneliness, suffering, good evil and the reality of death. These powerful non rational super real forces in human life are the domain of religion."it addresses the human need for the sacred. God is, as Thomas Aquinas argued, "the power that allows us to be ourselves".
If leadership is only framed by logic or status & position or power or the authority of office, it will not be sufficient to deliver sustainable change. Leading from the head and not the heart will not unlock an extraordinary effort from the team or inspire creative innovation. This will be different for everyone, because inspiration, is something that originates from a deep sense of calling and purpose in our lives, it's the realm of the spiritual in all of us, the place of unanswered questions.
I have always admired the 18th century collaborators called the Clapham Sect, originally labelled as Christian Humanists. They where genuine transformational leaders inspired by their faith but convicted by the biblical call for justice and compassion to all.
They pursued causes such as the abolition of the slave trade and did so even though it was opposed by the Government and Church authorities of the day.
When I look at their example, and listen to the stories from School Principals of the work of Chaplains, that through their accredited role as pastoral carers I hear inspiring stories of humble role models with a deep sense of calling and the desire that all people in particular children who have challenges in their lives be supported with kindness and compassion. These values and beliefs drive them to make themselves available for helping others at times when great sorrow, fear or grief impacts the life of a child.
Was DL Moody describing a chaplain when he said
"A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they only shine."
Mother Teresa continued this theme -
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God. God is sending a love letter to the world."
Many more inspirational leaders came from this collaboration, the Clapham Sect. William Booth who founded the Salvation Army; John Newton; William Wilberforce; Robert Raikes (Schools); Elizabeth Fry; George Williams YMCA; Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. Between them, they founded 75% of the 500 British charitable institutions formed during the 19th century. Five of them were elected to Parliament. Together they pursued reform, tackled the debtors' prisons releasing 14000 prisoners and rallied public support for public education, housing the poor, help for the disabled and stopping child labour.
 Many are quick to criticise the place of spiritual search or motivation. But it is more normal than many make it out to be....most of the world expresses its humanity with spiritual enquiry or faith conviction.
And yes, we should beware of radical fundamentalists, whether they are atheists or whether they are religious leaders obsessed with forcing rules or constraints on others and not seeking the genuine transformation where gravity is displaced by grace. But when service & personal sacrifice flow through compassion & calling, we see love conquer greed , justice overcome evil, and, yes, , grace overcome gravity.
I have referred to historical examples of Inspiring leadership, the influence of the Bible publication & mass dist, the examples of political leaders like King or Wliberforce, we could add Gandhi and Mandela, but what about modern leadership thought?
Oxford
I recently attended a Leadership program in Oxford run by the UK's leading business school. I wasn't sure what to expect but what I found was a surprise. They took 30 CEO's of which I was one, on a journey of discovering inspirational leadership covering leadership case studies from Shakespeare in Henry V, who is confronted with defeat and the dark night of the soul, to Plato's cave and the question of what is real, to a new metaphor of leadership, not a coach but a conductor & in our case the Oxford choir. The conductor has no talent or voice, he has no assurance the choir will follow his lead, his assignment is to produce a beautiful song from his team, to make it possible thru his leadership the expression of their individual talents through a harmonious tune that the audience (customers) will love. More grace than gravity in this model of leadership. We studied leadership in the context of a failed mission where the leader remains loyal to the mission and those that depend on them despite the failure of sponsors and stakeholders to remain faithful. And yes we found that spirituality is still a recognised powerful force that overcomes gravity and releases extraordinary conviction and purpose producing the fruit of grace in the world....kindness, justice through humility. The suggested model of leadership serves the mission by serving the team, not self.
Knowledge is not wisdom. Knowledge is the domain of science and intellectualism. Wisdom, on the other hand, goes beyond self awareness. Wisdom permits us to interpret the rational & the non rational. Wisdom speaks to deeper truths, relevant in our moments of deepest despair or greatest joy. Wisdom finds a home in reflective meditational and religious reverence.
So what does this wisdom of Jesus look like? How do they make the world a better place?
His parables in Luke- Â the lost coin, the lost sheep, the two lost sons (prodigal) reflecting his deep love for the lost and those seeking return home.
In God's economy the humble widow's two copper coins are worth more than the gold ones given by the proud wealthy priest.
On women the middle east in 30 AD was oppressive, there was no equality or discrete identity, yet Jesus in his encounter with a Samaritan women at the well of Sychar (John 4) and the Women about to be stoned by her religious male accusers for her adulterous indiscretion, both women find grace not judgment, they are engaged in a compassionate conversation with Jesus who shows against the cultural backdrop of the day a respect & dignity for these women as equals......justice and compassion came to these women.....great story to tell our young men even in this well educated generation.
The parable of the talents- the invitation to live life fully with courage using your gifts to make a difference in the world.
The powerful story of the Good Samaritan- who is my neighbour & how do we treat a stranger? And doesn't the world need that attitude and respect for humanity today!
The Sermon on the Mount , the search for happiness or meaning is not found in possessions, or worrying, more in generosity to others and a grateful heart.
The story of Zachaeus and how everyone, even an unlovable rat bag (or thieving skunk) gets a chance to change, to be made right and whole. Forgiveness the new dimension in a post modern epoch.
Our world needs leaders inspired by this wisdom to release more grace in the world..
Karl Bath stated
"Jesus' gift of forgiveness (Grace) is more astonishing than Jesus' miracles.Those miracles overpowered the physical laws of the universe. But in Jesus gift of forgiveness we see grace and forgiveness broke the judgemental legalism. ie.Grace overpowered the gravitational field of self absorption.
 If God is real in the human journey, let the wisdom, and truths from the biblical narrative speak for themselves, they will evoke the human hunger for spirituality and for God.
Bertram Russell wrote
"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless.
But we all search for meaning. Everyone has to believe in something. It's right to give people, especially children a choice to learn, to know and to choose.
It is therefore healthy to have this contrasting world view taught to children. The world view that inspires transformational leaders to change the world, to pursue noble causes, and to create a civil society which we value and which sustains our humanity.
And how much more important is it when most other voices and most other world views default to gravity and self interest. Without Christ's Grace and the light it brings, the world would collapse under the smothering gravitational weight of self interest.
CS Lewis wrote
"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."
The biblical narrative calls us to deeply commit to building a better world for the good of others. It forms as a centre piece of the prayer Jesus taught us to pray.......Thy will be done on earth.......
And so the chaplain is called to service. This is how they serve.....
As DL Moody said, "Lighthouses blow no horns, they only shine."
We can only but admire their example & contribution, helping young kids make a better future for themselves and our country. We should be thankful and applaud the inspiration and hope that chaplains bring to our society. Life is more than material, more than logic, it is spiritual as well. When meaning in grief or melancholy is lost, we need help to reconnect with the source of meaning and inspiration in our lives.
The life context with meaning can lift us and encourage us to love and care for others extending beyond the gravitational field of our own self interest. In doing so, we too are transformed to make our communities feel more human, more caring, like that Greek village I keep dreaming about.
George Savvides
