{"id":15162,"date":"2017-11-09T20:13:01","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T04:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=15162"},"modified":"2017-11-09T20:13:01","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T04:13:01","slug":"heros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/heros\/","title":{"rendered":"Heros"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chris Lowney\u2019s, Heroic Leadership<\/em> is a values-based leadership model that originated in 1540 from a Catholic priest and now boasts over 21 thousand business professionals in the world\u2019s largest religious order, the Jesuits.[1]<\/a> \u00a0The books main themes are \u201cforging seamless multinational teams, motivating performance, being open to change, and staying adaptable.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 This book \u201cfocuses on who leaders are,\u201d instead of what leaders do.[3]<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0This post will leverage critical reviews on the book, integrate personal reflections on leadership, and connect the Jesuit model with my research problem on spiritual warfare.<\/p>\n

First, I was inspired and humbled by the Jesuit\u2019s historical past.\u00a0 They have not only advanced the Great Commission, but the amazing part is they have stayed together as a team for almost 500 years.\u00a0 They called themselves the \u201cCompany of Jesus.\u201d[4]<\/a>\u00a0 In the sixteenth century they were just a small group of Christ followers or companions, who formed companionships, and eventually began calling themselves a company, hence the Company of Jesus.\u00a0 The name stuck and today the Jesuit company is leading the world in evangelism, mission, exploration, education, social, scientific, and medical advances.[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Until reviewing this work and reading around Lowney\u2019s transition from Jesuit seminarian to J.P. Morgan broker I did not really know much about the Jesuit model.\u00a0 I have to say, I am impressed!\u00a0 For me, anyone who applies Christian value-based leadership into the marketplace deserves a Facebook thumbs-up. \"\"<\/a>\u00a0I began reading around Heroic Leadership<\/em> to see what other peer-reviewed authors are saying about this old religious model that sprung from Catholic origins. I will start with the more negative reviews first.<\/p>\n

Boers overall likes the Jesuit leadership approach, but suggests three areas in Lowney\u2019s work that needs improvement.\u00a0 He says that Lowney does not identify where his four leadership principles come from, does not identify his intended audience, and offers excessive narrative in the Jesuit\u2019s historical legacy.[6]<\/a> \u00a0Furthermore, Boers criticizes Lowney\u2019s \u201cattempt to secularize\u201d the Jesuits through his stated goal of removing any religious references to Jesuit imagery, phrasing, and connections to the business place.\u00a0 Boer says that the Lowney leadership approach \u201cbelies much that drives the corporate world.\u201d[7]<\/a>\u00a0 Contrary or not, I think Boers is saying that the spiritual difference in leadership makes the difference and recommends that the author stay true to his Jesuit Christian roots and not try to secularize his narrative to make it fit worldly standards and expectations.<\/p>\n

Second, my personal leadership reflections on this book narrowed from transformational, to situational, to servant leadership.\u00a0 I \u201cgrew up\u201d under the transformational leadership model and can attest that it can be uses in both positive and negative applications.\u00a0 The most positive transformational leadership trait I found in the Jesuit model is the trait of love.\u00a0 Used 173 times in the book, it certainly appears that the Jesuits believe that Christian love is the transforming element that leaders need.\u00a0 Lowney encourages leaders to \u201cbe free to do whatever the situation calls for\u2026to be flexible enough to give an order, take an order, or plot one\u2019s own course.\u201d[8]<\/a>\u00a0 This is the situational method that I used during my leadership roles in public safety and military aviation.\u00a0 Finally, I searched and found examples of servant leadership imbedded inside the Jesuit model; a leadership approach that balances the needs of the people with the needs of the mission.\u00a0 Putting the needs of others above those of the leader fulfills my goal in servant leadership.\u00a0 Ordering my life through self-reflection and self -awareness are two of the values that Lowney says will help a leader.[9]<\/a>\u00a0 It takes work, but I think it is well worth it to prayerfully reflect on both strengths and weaknesses.\u00a0 I do urge caution with too much self-reflection because I have experienced times when it turned into \u201call about me\u201d instead of what I think \u201cHeroic Leaders\u201d do, which is make it \u201call about them.\u201d[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

Third, Lowney highlights the threat from spiritual warfare.\u00a0 He says that people ignore the reality of Satan and see him only in a \u201cmetaphorical status.\u201d \u00a0This is the section of the book I am drawn to because Lowney gives a historical glimpse of some of Loyola\u2019s students who were given \u201chellfire-and-brimstone journey through the sights, sounds, and very whiff of hell.\u201d[11]<\/a>\u00a0 I am thinking about how to create a virtual reality (VR) simulation that could be added to an armor of God theology.\u00a0 I commend Lowney for \u201ccalling him out,\u201d describing the devil\u2019s schemes, and identifying him as the \u201cenemy of our human nature\u201d who does exist.<\/p>\n

Finally, I am happy to find another leadership author how understands \u201cwhen leadership is working, it hurts.\u201d[12]<\/a>\u00a0 Bowman agrees and calls the Jesuit model of servant leadership a paradox, where leaders knowingly sacrifice themselves to help promote others by removing obstacles, promoting talents, and helping people discover their interests and potential.[13]<\/a> \u00a0When leaders do this successfully the results not only energize and unite teams, but also earn loyalty and mutual support.[14]<\/a> In conclusion, I like this book because it aligns with my leadership approach and supports my hypothesis that spiritual warfare continues despite being \u201cpsychologized\u201d and explained away by the church.[15]<\/a><\/p>\n

Stand firm,<\/p>\n

M. Webb<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Jana Riess, Sarah F. Gold, Emily Chernoweth, and Jeff Zaleski. 2003. “HEROIC LEADERSHIP: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company that Changed the World (Book).” Publishers Weekly<\/em> 250, no. 21: 65. Academic Search Premier<\/em>, EBSCOhost<\/em> (accessed November 6, 2017).<\/h6>\n
[2]<\/a> Ibid.<\/h6>\n
[3]<\/a> Ibid.<\/h6>\n
[4]<\/a> Arthur P. Boers. 2004. “God’s soldiers: adventure, politics, intrigue, and power–a history of the Jesuits.” The Christian Century<\/em> 121, no. 21: 62. ATLASerials, Religion Collection<\/em>, EBSCOhost<\/em> (accessed November 6, 2017).<\/h6>\n
[5]<\/a> Ibid., 63.<\/h6>\n
[6]<\/a> Ibid.<\/h6>\n
[7]<\/a> Ibid.<\/h6>\n
[8]<\/a> Lowney, Heroic Leadership<\/em>, 160.<\/h6>\n
[9]<\/a> Ibid., 27.<\/h6>\n
[10]<\/a> Ibid., 113.<\/h6>\n
[11]<\/a> Ibid., 115.<\/h6>\n
[12]<\/a> Chris Lowney. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World.<\/em> Kindle ed. (Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2003) 288.<\/h6>\n
[13]<\/a> Richard F. Bowman. 2005. “Teacher as Servant Leader.” Clearing House<\/em> 78, no. 6: 258. Academic Search Premier<\/em>, EBSCOhost<\/em> (accessed November 6, 2017).<\/h6>\n
[14]<\/a> Lowney, Heroic Leadership<\/em>, 170.<\/h6>\n
[15]<\/a> Ibid., 117.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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