Leadership Lessons from Pope John Paul II
by Sharif Khan
Published on this site: April 20th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month...
"Heroes are rebels with a cause. Rebels because they challenge
the traditional ways of thinking and refuse to follow the herd.
They have a cause, a vision, that's larger than life."--- Sharif
Khan, author of Psychology of the Hero Soul
From a small-town Polish boy born to a retired army officer
to become Pope; from a hard life in Nazi occupied Poland,
his mother dead of kidney and heart failure, an older brother
dead from scarlet fever, to become quite possibly "man
of the century." How did such an unlikely candidate for
the head of the Roman Catholic Church rise so quickly to such
prominence? What leadership lessons can we learn from this
global spiritual leader who so moved the world? Here is a
brief timeline snap-shot of Karol Josef Wojtyla's exemplary
leadership:
Knowledge
1958: Pope Pius XII names Wojtyla auxiliary bishop of Krakow.
By this time, Wojtyla was a professor of ethics and had two doctorate
degrees; he had studied theology in clandestine during the oppressive
Nazi occupation of Poland.
Leadership lesson: leaders are readers. Specialized knowledge is
key to leadership along with general studies. While Wojtyla had
two doctorates in his field, he also studied philosophy and literature
and was also a playwright and a poet. If you were to take an hour-a-day
reading up in your field and applying the knowledge, within a period
of five years you would become an 'expert' within your field. People
are hungering and thirsting for a leader with knowledge and experience.
In Wojtyla's case, he took the time to gain knowledge of the world,
himself, and beyond. As a chaplain for university students in Krakow,
he used to go on frequent camping and kayaking trips and offered
counseling and mentorship to the students. On these excursions,
he would usually take an hour or more to be alone by himself to
reflect, read, and pray. These moments of solitude gave him a strong
internal compass and knowledge of self required of all great leaders.
Humility
1978: Elected Pope John Paul II becoming the 264th
pope and first non-Italian pope in 456 years; refuses formal
papal coronation in favor of a simple inauguration ceremony
and chooses not to use the royal plural "We" referring
to himself plainly as "I".
Wojtyla was not impressed by the trappings of power and its symbols
and made that clear from the day he was elected Pope. He had a very
simple, plain, and honest way of communicating that endeared people
to him. He exemplified the servant-leader role by embodying one
of the titles of the Pope: Servus Servorum Dei (Servant of the Servants
of God).
Leadership lesson: leaders are humble. We can learn from
Wojtyla's example by not isolating ourselves in the corner
office or ivory tower with each successive promotion, hiding
behind closed doors and a sea of fancy titles, diplomas, awards,
certificates, and press-clippings. Like Wojtyla, we can make
ourselves available to our people with open doors, seeking
to understand and encouraging dialogue. Leadership by walking
around and talking to people and listening to their needs
earns respect and trust.
Heart
1979: Visits his homeland, Poland, for the first time
as Pope and speaks to his people, inspiring Solidarity, the
first independent labor movement in the Soviet bloc.
Risking his life against the totalitarian Communist Regime
in Poland, Wojtyla returned to his homeland and did not speak
in the typical, official 'visiting dignitary' tone. He spoke
from his heart, from the gut, soul-to-soul - in their language.
The people of Poland saw themselves reflected in him; he encouraged
them to not crawl like animals but walk tall and 'be not afraid.'
The crowd went wild and a flame of rebellion and counter-revolution
was lit in the collective consciousness of the Polish people,
sparking the Solidarity movement for independence and freedom
that eventually toppled the Communist Regime.
Leadership lesson: leaders have heart. Intellect is not enough;
both head and heart have to be married. If you want to win over
people, risk letting down your guard and speak from the heart. The
leader that speaks from the heart almost always wins over reason
alone.
Forgiveness
1983: Meets with assassin Ali Agca in prison. Just
two years after the assassination attempt on his life by gunman,
Mehmet Ali Agca, and several months of painful recovery, the
Pope visited Agca in prison and offered forgiveness. (Much
later, in 2000, the Italian government granted clemency to
Agca, on the Pope's request).
Leadership lesson: leaders are willing to forgive. We are
all fallible human beings that make mistakes. The mark of
a true leader is his or her willingness to forgive. It's also
a smart leadership strategy in the long-term. While there's
no excuse to keep someone who consistently fails to learn
from their mistakes, the boss that fires an employee for making
a big mistake is often mistaken for doing so. After all, there's
always the risk that the next person hired could potentially
make the same disastrous mistake. But by offering forgiveness
to the person that errs, that person is unlikely to repeat
that same mistake, and will most likely remain fiercely loyal
to you.
Responsibility
2000: Offers a day of apology for sins committed by members
of the Catholic Church over the centuries; visits Israel and pays
homage to the victims of the Holocaust.
Wojtyla was the first pope to visit the Auschwitz concentration
camp in Poland in 1979, and later in 2000, he visited Jerusalem's
Yad Vashem in remembrance of the six million Jews who died in the
Holocaust, praying for reconciliation between Christians and Jews
and apologizing for the sin of anti-Semitism by Christians.
The day that former U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, took full
responsibility for the Bay of Pigs fiasco, was the day he became
leader. The day that Wojtyla apologized and took responsibility
for the sins of anti-Semitism committed by Christians, was the day
he became a truly respected global leader.
Leadership lesson: leaders take full responsibility for their organization.
Blaming and complaining is the mark of a loser. We can make excuses
or we can make progress - but we certainly can't do both. To be
a leader, you must take full responsibility for your actions, your
team, and ultimately the whole organization or cause you lead.
Uncommon Leadership
1982 - 2003: Receives PLO leader Arafat; Meets Gorbachev
as first pope to meet with a Kremlin Chief; visits Cuba and meets
with Castro; becomes first pope in history to enter a mosque.
Despite criticism from many corners on the controversial issues
he supported, Wojtyla was not one to ever back down. He stood for
what he believed in and had the courage of convictions. As a leader,
he was tough but flexible. His flexibility allowed him to meet famous,
and infamous, world leaders and address difficult issues that made
him unpopular in certain circles. But he also had the inner toughness
and steely resolve to break down walls and foster reconciliation.
As Pope and head of the Roman Catholic Church he knew his role was
to unify the Church while serving as an apostle of justice and peace.
He stood his ground and never wavered, even if it meant alienation.
Leadership lesson: leaders stand for what they believe in. Leadership
is not about winning a popularity contest. Stand up for what you
believe in. Be strong and be firm. A divided mind is weak; a united
mind, clear and singular in purpose, is powerful beyond measure.
Legacy: Rebel with a Cause
1920 - 2005: A legacy of leadership. Pope John Paul
II was a rebel with a cause. A champion of human worth and
dignity, a freedom fighter, a torch bearer for social justice,
he left a lasting legacy of leadership and moral example that
the world can follow. Asked once, if he feared retaliation
from government officials, he replied (according to biographer
George Weigel), "I'm not afraid of them. They are afraid
of me." Indeed, he relayed a message to the world that
will echo through eternity: "Be not afraid!"
Sharif Khan is a speaker, writer, coach, and author of
Psychology of the Hero Soul, an inspirational book on awakening
the hero within and developing people's leadership potential. For
more information, visit: http://www.herosoul.com.
Khan can be reached directly at Tel: 416-417-1259 or Email: mailto:[email protected]
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