Legacy of Leadership: Leadership and Faith
Tony Gabriel
GABRTEACH/ GABR-BEHAVE- GABRWORKS- Educator/ Presenter/Writer/Professional Development/ Workforce Development/
"People pat you on the back when they know you are going through a hard time and encourage you to have "Faith" as a way to comfort you. Few would disagree with the idea that "Faith has power", but often this truth does not become meaningful to us until we are tested by a challenge, we think we may not survive."
United States Congressman and Civil Rights Leader - John Lewis
For many in leadership, entertaining or engaging in a discussion of one's faith or how faith is a driving force in one's life and philosophy of leading others is rarely seen as a welcomed and important topic for "Leadership Development training but is a necessary and vital aspect of "Developing a true Leader or Leadership Legacy worth cultivating and duplicating.
This critical foundation of true leadership is crucial and universal across all avenues of leading individuals, groups of individuals, and one's self. Be it, Social, Political, Religious, Educational, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Technology, Scientific, Military or Governmental, true leaders and leadership must acknowledge the role Faith or the lack thereof, plays in all our lives.
Unfortunately, and fortunately, one's Faith or the degree to which one truly believes has often positioned many of us at odds with one another and has defined, created, positively facilitated, and exacerbated at the same time, discussions and laws regarding Human Rights, Civil Rights and Women's Rights.
From a leadership perspective, some might argue that a discussion of one's personal faith is a private matter and should be kept separate from one's daily business or professional life. I would argue that true leaders and leadership understand and know how to respect everyone's personal faith but are not afraid to let others see the power of how their faith has helped them navigate the failures and successes in their lives. This ultimately builds an identity around a leader or leadership team that allows them to show their sensitivity /human side and can often make them more approachable to their staffs or individuals they lead.
"The Stockdale Paradox"
At some point in our lives, we will all be or have been in situations that demand or demanded that one could not solely rely on one's own skills, efforts, or will to solve a problem or challenge. Even if you are not a religious or spiritual person, I would argue that if you were in the hospital struggling to stay alive, your faith or hope that the doctor could save you would be of primary concern.
How does one Embrace Faith when there seems to be no Hope?
"The Stockdale Paradox"
"Admiral Jim Stockdale was the highest-ranking United States military officer in "Hanoi Hilton prisoner of war camp during the height of the Vietnam War. He was tortured over twenty times during his eight-year imprisonment from 1965 to 1973. He lived out the war without any prisoner's rights, no set release date, and no certainty as to whether he would even survive to see his family again." - From- "Good to Great" by Jim Collins
In Mr. Collin's book, "Good to Great" he discusses a conversation he had the opportunity to have with Admiral Stockdale once he was finally released. The conversation centered around Mr. Stockdale's faith:
"I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event in my life, which in retrospect, I would not trade."
Mr. Collins then asked Admiral Stockdale, "Who didn't make it out?
Stockdale replied: "The Optimists." Stockdale's response did not make any sense to me or Mr. Collins. How could a man who had been in a prison camp for eight years and tortured over twenty times not be an optimist?
Stockdale stated that the optimists began looking forward to holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, as possible days they would be released. And when these days and years came and went, it was too much for them to emotionally bare. "They died of a broken heart"
And thus, the Stockdale Paradox was born:
"You must never confuse Faith that you will prevail in the end-which you can never afford to lose- with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they be."- Admiral Stockdale
I guess one could argue that the Stockdale Paradox is really asking one to be both optimist and pessimist at the same time. For leaders or leadership teams, this simply means being brutally honest yet hopeful and positive with one's self and those you lead.
Many leaders and leadership teams make the mistake of camouflaging, hiding, coloring, or denying the reality of a problem or challenge in hopes of maintaining morale and faith but at what cost.
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My faith in God is a vital and necessary part of my life that I would not be able to function without. However, this does not mean that those who don't share the same convictions are without some type of faith whether they are willing to admit it or not.
Blind Faith
While embracing faith or a faith driven philosophy of leadership is a powerful tool, there will always be those leaders or leadership entities who use faith as a weapon to move individuals or groups of individuals to carry out their agendas and beliefs in an attempt to gain/maintain power, control and acceptance.
The danger of putting one's faith into a leader that only seeks to serve himself or his associates strikes at the heart of what's wrong with many facets of our country.
Blind faith is characterized by the idea that a leader or leadership team who portrays or demonstrates a belief or faith similar or in step with that of your own is faultless or flawless when it comes to accountability for any wrongs or criminal acts a leader or leadership team commits.
Additionally, those who blindly follow these types of leaders also feel no guilt or responsibility for their actions as well because of their allegiance to this type of leader or leadership.
Leadership and Faith are powerful and valuable tools in building a legacy of leadership that strengthens, a business, organization, school, or a country, but we must be ever vigilant against those that would use these tools to disrupt, turn back the clock, or damage the health of our Democracy.
Leaders and leadership teams that want to invest in a legacy of positive leadership must recognize the value and necessity of tapping into the different levels and priorities of Faith we all may reluctantly, voluntarily, or involuntarily embrace.
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