{"id":41017,"date":"2025-03-06T14:37:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T22:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=41017"},"modified":"2025-03-06T14:37:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T22:37:43","slug":"reality-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/reality-check\/","title":{"rendered":"Reality check"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few realities have come to light over the past few weeks. There are things I had \u201crunning in the background\u201d of my mind but never really paid attention to them. One of the main things is that there seems to be a leadership crisis not only at a global scale, but also at an organizational level. I am also finding that faith-based leadership challenges seem more damaging to followers in Christian settings than in secular settings. I make this claim based on first-hand observation and my thinking is that “the damage” is probably because the expectations (for a Christian leader) are quite high. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and told them: \u201cFollow me, as I follow Christ.\u201d[1]<\/a> (1 Corinthians 11:1). I don\u2019t know if this same confidence, mindset and courage exists among leaders and I wonder why.<\/p>\n

The answers I would give to this question are likely instinctive and System 1<\/em> type of answers according to Kahneman. They would be something along the lines that we have become more self-serving and self-centered; that we are all broken and in need of redemption and so on[2]<\/a>. Additionally, instinctive, System 1<\/em>, type of responses to this critical topic would also resonate with either of the \u201cdefault\u201d framings outlined by Parrish, which are 1) The emotion default, 2) The ego default, 3) The social default, 4) The inertia default. [3]<\/a><\/p>\n

Opening up to new ways of thinking<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inasmuch as these instinctive assertions are cognitive, Kahneman suggests that we should consider slowing down and allow System 2<\/em> to monitor and control our thoughts and eventually actions. In this topic of the leadership crisis, time is showing us that suggesting new models is not the solution (to the crisis). Thinking about the leadership crisis from a youth lens gets even more complicated. I remember the first master\u2019s program I took in 2008\/9 was heavy on leadership principle and we learned about moving from autocratic leadership styles to more transformational styles of leadership. Despite the logic and allure, we are still deep in autocratic leadership and self-serving leaders evidenced by the situation in many of our countries. In my country, we\u2019ve seen the generational negative impact of this autocratic and self-serving leaders despite having a vibrant constitution and democratic space that gives agency to the people. I\u2019m observing that our instinctive swaps to address leadership gaps and challenges may have some flaws.<\/p>\n

Paradigm shifts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kahneman makes a great assertion that \u201cmany people are overconfident and prone to place too much faith in their intuition.\u201d Perhaps this is why simply switching styles and models of leadership doesn\u2019t achieve the positive outcomes we want to see. Maybe we should do the hard work of understanding the times and seasons we are in, the core needs of the day, the mental models prevalent in society and then prepare (Mine for Gold) and install effective leaders and leadership. When I consider the workings of the model and approach Christ gave us for leadership, it offers a complete mind shift: \u201cYou know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great one\u2019s exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be a great among you must be your servant\u2026.\u201d[4]<\/a> (Mathew 20:25-26). And then when dealing with conflict and issues there is (Mathew 5:28) that urges us to \u201cturn the other cheek\u201d and not do anything to harm those who have hurt us. [5]<\/a>To me, this posture is rare and is very unlikely to happen (in reality) but should it, it would be transformative. I think there would be more peace, solutions to the climate crisis, healthier societies, communities and organizations and an embodiment of love.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> 1 Corinthian 11:1<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Kahneman, Daniel.\u00a0Thinking, Fast and Slow<\/em>. London: Penguin Books, 2012.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Parrish, Shane.\u00a0Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results<\/em>. NY; Penguin Press, 2023<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Mathew 20: 25-26<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Mathew 5:28<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few realities have come to light over the past few weeks. There are things I had \u201crunning in the background\u201d of my mind but never really paid attention to them. One of the main things is that there seems to be a leadership crisis not only at a global scale, but also at an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":221,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3444],"class_list":["post-41017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp04-kahneman-leadership","cohort-dlgp04"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41017"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41018,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41017\/revisions\/41018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}