"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!"
Copyright © 2005 by Sharif Khan
Fair-use timeline sources taken from Wikipedia, Holy See Religion
News Service, CNN Biography, and AP/McClatchy Interactive.
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