Welcome to the Wounded Healers’ Team! (Doctors of the Church).
Welcome to the Wounded Healers, (Resilient) Leaders Club!
In Rethinking Leadership: a Critique of Contemporary Theories, the author shares fantastic insights on Leadership: “I believe that Kurt Lewin was right, “there is nothing as practical as a good theory.”[1]
For justice’s sake to this book, I will only share a few insights that I found transformational and touch on other leadership practices I have experienced.
Leadership in Crisis
This book is about Leadership and the leaders we need now. It is a critique of the theories that have been tossed around over the past few decades and the superficial leadership-development programs that have not done a great job at shaping sharp leaders. Sharp leaders who are cognitively savvy and emotionally astute. Leaders who can lead in a crisis and deal with uncertainty. Leaders who understand the systemic nature of problems and who can work in collaboration with others.[2]
Dr. Beerel has written this book from experience, and the author also compares Leadership in crisis and Leadership in different times. In other words, her experience spans different times of leadership experience, exploring what has worked and what has not.
Leadership requires humility
In 2012, I accepted my community’s request to serve as the Commissioner of Government Relations. DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) Rwandan Diaspora Association. After a few years in this position, I was promoted to DMV Rwandan Diaspora President, overseeing all the association affairs. I was grateful to serve my community and country in the most minute position.
Until the end of 2017, when I decided not to run again for another term but to remain serving in different ways, I had been involved in more leadership challenges than I had ever imagined. Serving in these voluntary positions was exhilarating and challenging at the same time. If I can sum up one lesson I learned while serving my community, Leadership is not for the weaklings. Any leadership, whether volunteering or serving as the most influential Fortune 500 CEO, is much more than a positional authority; it requires special abilities to be the center of attention, insults, scrutiny, and many more.
Who will qualify the leaders?
Dr. Beerel asks several stimulating questions as she writes;
One of those was, what do you think is the most significant inhibiting factor for leaders? Why is it so challenging to be effective?
The simple answer is that Leadership takes understanding, and some assume that positions are all needed to lead. I recently heard someone say that it is only in Leadership, especially the highest political positions, that candidates are not required to have a certain level of education. They commnented that even High School graduation is not required before one aspires to contest for a high-ranking political position. I have not done any research regarding educational requirements for political aspirants. However, a certain level of education is required if someone will lead others. It may not be a specific kind of education, but at least a way to measure one’s abilities and readiness to help others move from one place to another.
“Leaders make a difference. They move people to new places – physically, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually – that they could not have achieved alone. They provide inspiration, courage, conviction, hope, and comfort. They use their power and influence to get things done (Barling, 2014).”[3]
Conclusion
Since this is my very last blog here, themes that have inspired me to persue Leadership are evident to all who have heard, seen or connected with me in one way or another. Resilience and posttraumatic growth.
Men and women who have inspired me seem to be those who were very much afflicted in their ministry and service to the community yet remained transformational through their pain. Viktor E. Frankl inspires, “Seek meaning in life’s challenges. Overcoming obstacles not only builds resilience but also deepens self-understanding and confidence.”[4]
Unless the Church accepts the true nature of Jesus as Servant Leaders walking in humility and accepting to walk and lead vulnerable, the world will remain in crisis. How can the wounded bounce back and lead their potential as God has intended. “Todd Bolsinger makes the case that this process of becoming a tempered resilient and resilient leader involves six steps: Working, heating, holding, hammering hewing, tempering.”[5] While leading through pain requires hard work, knowing that you are not alone will make a difference. This will awareness will differentiate the Leadership of the word and those of us “Doctors of the Church”[6].
As the doctors of the Church we are the wounded healers. Henri Nouwen emphasizes, “We cannot truly heal others until we have faced and healed our own wounds.”[7]
[1] Annabel C. Beerel, Rethinking Leadership: A Critique of Contemporary Theories (London New York: Routledge, 2021).
[2] Beerel.
[3] Beerel.
[4] Frankl, Viktor E, Man’s Search For Meaning (Ebury Digital: London, England, n.d.).
[5] Jean de Dieu Ndahiriwe, “Resilience Made in Rwanda,” December 7, 2022, https://blogs.georgefox.edu/dlgp/resilience-made-in-rwanda/.
[6] Dr. Tammy Dunahoo, DLd, “Congratulations from the Dean!,” April 11, 2024, https://mail.google.com/mail/u/3/#search/doctors+of+the+church/FMfcgzGxSlKtBcHvFJlsHNxxwpTrtZTh.
[7] Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society, 1st Image ed (New York, NY: Image Books, 02).
About the Author
Jean de Dieu Ndahiriwe
Jean de Dieu Ndahiriwe is a Clinical Correctional Chaplain and former Child Refugee from War-torn Rwanda. A member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, Jean is passionate about Servant Leadership and looks forward to seeing more leaders that inspire Lasting Peace and Justice for all, especially "the least of these".13 responses to “Welcome to the Wounded Healers’ Team! (Doctors of the Church).”
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Jean de,
Great post and insight, thank you for sharing about your past experience in leadership. I agree with you, unless we come into the fullness of Jesus, our leadership and influence will always be lacking.
Bless you brother, keep fighting the good fight.
Thanks, brother. This journey of learning has been a blessing. Connecting with you and this team of learners has been transformational.
Your blog reminded me of something Dr. Martyn Percy said while we were at Oxford. He said (this is me summarizing his words, so they are not exact), “Vision and strategy is the froth of leadership. But the true bedrock of leadership is resilience and character.” May we continue to grow our resilience muscles in our leadership days my friend. Great work.
Thanks my friend,
I love your summary of Dr. Martyn Percy’s words. Thanks for the interaction and encouragement, praying we stay on this growth track and impact our World for God’s glory.
Yes, Jean! Thank you for emphasizing the place of pain and resilience within leadership. Like you and Bolsinger, I find that my most difficult experiences have taught me the most about life and about others. Thank you for blessing us with you insights over the past 3 years!
Thanks for your comment Laura,
I am glad we connected with these great minds
these last three years. It’s been a blessing indeed.
Jean, Your post is full of so many insights from Beerel, other authors, and your experience. Thank you for pulling this wisdom together. I like your use of Henri Nouwen: As the doctors of the Church we are the wounded healers. Henri Nouwen emphasizes, “We cannot truly heal others until we have faced and healed our own wounds.”[7]”
Also, I like the sobering point you make in saying: “Any leadership, whether volunteering or serving as the most influential Fortune 500 CEO, is much more than a positional authority; it requires special abilities to be the center of attention, insults, scrutiny, and many more.” Thanks be to God for wisdom, courage, and strength to be a leader in these difficult situations you have mentioned.
I have so appreciated learning from you, Jean! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience in such a humble and approachable way. See you Monday for our last class!
Hi Jenny,
Thank you so much for your comment. The blessing of learning from one another has been golden. The challenge is how to keep us connected after May 2nd. Do you have any suggestions? It would be great to have a way to remain connected.
Hi Jean, I agree with you so much! What a gift it has been to learn together these three years. Yes, how can we stay connected? Maybe a monthly zoom chat? A zoom chat every few months? Gathering together once a year in a different part of the country? I wonder what other cohorts have done.
Jean –
I can’t believe our journey together these three years is coming to a close! I’m thankful for you and your friendship. I’ve seen you grow in this program, and it’s been amazing to watch. I think we’ve both come a long way. I look forward to seeing you at graduation in a few days. Praying for you, my friend.
Thanks for your comment Tonette,
It’s been pure joy together on this journey. I am glad we’ve finally made it! See you at graduation!
Dr. Jean,
I like how you engage with Beerel’s questions about leadership inhibiting factors, particularly addressing the issue of educational requirements for leaders. I think it is key how you bring out that while specific educational qualifications may not always be necessary, a certain level of education is essential to measure one’s readiness and abilities to lead effectively. I agree with that wholeheartedly.
Thanks brother,
Glad we have had the blessing to engage in this educational endeavor together.