In every human group, there are always different roles. Roles can be explicit or spontaneous; they can even be unconscious. While there are many roles, let's now look at that of leadership. In Cafh we consider leadership -- in whatever field we find it -- as a role of service.
In the history of humanity, in times of profound changes, we see a marked tendency to fall into extremes, to move like a pendulum. This implies reacting to the previous order, that is, continuing on the same level of opposites in a reactive way, instead of transcending to a higher order.
A pendulum moves to the other end of the spectrum, rejecting everything in its previous trajectory. This movement discards experience and the opportunity to build on what has been learned, and to integrate these lessons into a superior model. It unconsciously reproduces the same patterns that it criticizes because it continues in the same state of consciousness.
This pendulum movement can lead us to see some aspects as pairs of opposites, for example, rigidity versus laxity, hierarchy versus horizontality, leadership versus absence of leadership.
But the realization of the Mother Idea implies integrating human and divine values, which we could interpret as harmonizing opposites, searching for a dynamic balance. It is our task to integrate our legacy and the experience and lessons we have had so far with a perspective reflecting the times we are living through now.
Responding to a higher level of complexity also requires changing the model of leadership. Faced with the authoritarian or paternalistic style prevailing in the modern paradigm, we are now heading towards a kind of leadership that focuses on the need to listen, integrate views, build knowledge and meaning, and help collective wisdom emerge.
It is evident that the new kind of leadership is going to depend more on building together than on following someone’s ideas. There is no doubt that the new kind of leadership begins with the ability to listen. It continues with the capacity for teamwork and for continuous learning.
Under the paternalistic paradigm, the leader was someone who decided unilaterally and acted as a kind of referee to resolve differences.
In many ways, the approach to exercising leadership is changing. In addition to committing themselves to serving and listening, leaders are moving towards a facilitating and coordinating role, where there is a balance in this two-way flow of information. Thus, the leader guides and creates the conditions for individuals and groups to be the protagonists of their own processes, of their own learning. The leader makes it possible for individuals and groups to assume and exercise their freedom and responsibility.
Leaders offer their experience and knowledge but do not have the obligation to have all the answers. For this reason, dialogue and exchange are essential. By not offering unilateral answers and solutions and by allowing all expressions of diversity, the leader creates the space and the means for collective wisdom to emerge and build upon itself.
This paradigm undoubtedly implies opening up to the unknown. The unknown is present in every moment of our life; our possibilities lie there. As our founder said, the unknown is always God Himself.
In the history of humanity, in times of profound changes, we see a marked tendency to fall into extremes, to move like a pendulum. This implies reacting to the previous order, that is, continuing on the same level of opposites in a reactive way, instead of transcending to a higher order.
A pendulum moves to the other end of the spectrum, rejecting everything in its previous trajectory. This movement discards experience and the opportunity to build on what has been learned, and to integrate these lessons into a superior model. It unconsciously reproduces the same patterns that it criticizes because it continues in the same state of consciousness.
This pendulum movement can lead us to see some aspects as pairs of opposites, for example, rigidity versus laxity, hierarchy versus horizontality, leadership versus absence of leadership.
But the realization of the Mother Idea implies integrating human and divine values, which we could interpret as harmonizing opposites, searching for a dynamic balance. It is our task to integrate our legacy and the experience and lessons we have had so far with a perspective reflecting the times we are living through now.
Responding to a higher level of complexity also requires changing the model of leadership. Faced with the authoritarian or paternalistic style prevailing in the modern paradigm, we are now heading towards a kind of leadership that focuses on the need to listen, integrate views, build knowledge and meaning, and help collective wisdom emerge.
It is evident that the new kind of leadership is going to depend more on building together than on following someone’s ideas. There is no doubt that the new kind of leadership begins with the ability to listen. It continues with the capacity for teamwork and for continuous learning.
Under the paternalistic paradigm, the leader was someone who decided unilaterally and acted as a kind of referee to resolve differences.
In many ways, the approach to exercising leadership is changing. In addition to committing themselves to serving and listening, leaders are moving towards a facilitating and coordinating role, where there is a balance in this two-way flow of information. Thus, the leader guides and creates the conditions for individuals and groups to be the protagonists of their own processes, of their own learning. The leader makes it possible for individuals and groups to assume and exercise their freedom and responsibility.
Leaders offer their experience and knowledge but do not have the obligation to have all the answers. For this reason, dialogue and exchange are essential. By not offering unilateral answers and solutions and by allowing all expressions of diversity, the leader creates the space and the means for collective wisdom to emerge and build upon itself.
This paradigm undoubtedly implies opening up to the unknown. The unknown is present in every moment of our life; our possibilities lie there. As our founder said, the unknown is always God Himself.