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This week we found ourselves in the waters of Letter From a Birmingham Jail<\/em> by Martin Luther King, Jr as a response to an open letter by 8 white Christian Pastors, A Call to Unity<\/em> , that was published in the Birmingham News.\u00a0 A Call to Unity<\/em> was an attempt to reign in the protests that were raging against the social injustices toward African Americans.\u00a0 MLK, having been arrested for his participation in the protests, argued that there are important times and reasons for civil disobedience, and that the white pastors ought to be engaged in the fight against the injustices, that lip service was not authentic as people of faith.<\/p>\n In those same waters we tackled chapter 17, 20, and 21-24 in Global Leadership Perspectives:\u00a0 Insights and Analysis.\u00a0 Global Leadership Perspectives <\/em>that was edited by Simon Western and Eric-Jean Garcia, have assembled insights from 40 different contributors from 20 countries who offer perspectives on leadership structures from around the world.\u00a0 Global Leadership Perspectives<\/em> is divided into two parts.\u00a0 Part one is a compilation of variations of leadership embodied in each contributor\u2019s country.\u00a0 Part two offers Western and Gracia\u2019s analysis of the contributors by outlining key themes and issues.<\/p>\n In reading the chapter on South Africa I found authors Mnguni and De Klerk recounting issues in DNA and leadership that seem like the US.\u00a0 For instance, they say, \u201cOne finds a situation whereby a number of white South Africans feel, \u2018done to\u2019 by reversed discrimination.\u201d[1]<\/a>\u00a0 As the United States continues to have war over the same issues MLK writes about in his Letter, many whites\u2019 recoil at a designation of \u201cwhite privilege\u201d. \u00a0They also reveal, \u201cFor political leaders, leadership has become confused with narcissistic entitlement and hierarchical rights and privileges, rather than the actual leadership role with accountability to serve and deliver.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 We see this playing out in the US\u2019 polarizing political theatre.<\/p>\n Authors Green and Getz share their perspective on leadership in the US in chapter 20. Although I am intrigued by their claim of the \u201cAmerican Identity Crisis\u201d that is due to the loss of the American dream[3]<\/a>, I am not convinced of their argument.\u00a0 It seems more likely that Americans loss of safety and freedom embodied on 911 is the culprit of the identity crisis.\u00a0 Green and Getz cite Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cmessianic leadership\u201d resonates with those struggling with this identity crises.\u00a0 Perhaps a better image for those who gravitate to Trumps \u201cclarion call\u201d[4]<\/a>would be that a number of Americans would prefer a snow globe nation; where safety is offered because no danger can invade.<\/p>\n This week I have been in Acadia National Park hiking the magnificent trails. The other day I sat next to Jordan Stream.\u00a0 As I listened to the stream and took in the details of the rocks and water moving I began reflect on Western and Garcia\u2019s analysis and their 4 discourses of leadership.[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Here are my journal reflections:<\/p>\n \u201cThese boulders tell a story \u2013 a story of obstacles?\u00a0 Or a story of<\/p>\n tenacity? What does the water say?\u00a0 Allow yourself to be reshaped?<\/p>\n Be a force for transformation in others lives?\u00a0 What does the stream<\/p>\n say about leadership?\u00a0 It takes multiple things to create beauty\u00a0 —<\/p>\n strength, fluidity, offering places for other to grow.\u00a0 The steam<\/p>\n offers imagery of what eco-leadership should be.\u00a0 But it also offers<\/p>\n imagery that leadership is an interweaving of eco-messiah-therapist<\/p>\n for sure.\u00a0 How or what does this stream reveal for the church and its<\/p>\n needs for that interweaving of leadership discourses?\u201d<\/p>\n MLK found his voice in a jail.\u00a0 I find mine in the water.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Western, Simon, and \u00c9ric-Jean Garcia. Global Leadership Perspectives: Insights and Analysis<\/em>. 1st edition. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2018. Page 148.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Ibid. Page 149.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid. Page 172.<\/p>\n