{"id":41865,"date":"2025-08-27T16:12:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T23:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=41865"},"modified":"2025-08-27T16:19:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T23:19:53","slug":"humble-leadership-behind-prison-walls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/humble-leadership-behind-prison-walls\/","title":{"rendered":"Humble Leadership Behind Prison Walls"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I have been volunteering in a women\u2019s prison for nearly a decade. Two Saturdays a month, I leave home at 6:00 AM, arrive at the facility by 7:00 AM, and begin the lengthy entry process. I\u2019m greeted by a massive gate, which feels like something out of Jurassic Park. My belongings are scanned by an X-ray machine, I\u2019m asked to show the bottoms of my feet to check for contraband, and then I\u2019m patted down. With my Bible and supplies in hand, I walk the long hallway past the visitation room and the segregation housing unit.<\/p>\n

When I first started volunteering in prison, I thought my job was to \u201cminister\u201d to the women. I went through multiple training sessions, knew what needed to be done, and did most of the talking. But over time, I noticed something: the residents rarely recalled my points. However, what they did remember was when I asked about their<\/em> stories.<\/p>\n

One evening, instead of relying on my own conversation game plan, I shared something vulnerable. I admitted that I had been wrestling with anxiety, specifically, a fear of failing on a project and letting others down. I asked whether anyone else had ever felt that way. The room shifted. Women who had sat silent began nodding. One shared her fear of being released without a place to go. Another spoke about the fear of her children rejecting her.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me more<\/strong>,\u201d was the phrase God placed on my heart. I couldn\u2019t pretend to know what it was like to face a parole hearing or carry a felony record. However, I did know what it felt like to be insecure, rejected, and even invisible at times. The Spirit gave me the right words about how God meets us in our fear. By the end of the evening, the women were praying for each other. My role wasn\u2019t center stage; I had simply created space for honesty, vulnerability, and hope.<\/p>\n

According to Edgar and Peter Schein, authors of Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust<\/em>, this experience exemplifies a \u201cLevel 2\u201d relationship, where empathy serves as the guiding sentiment. They identify four levels of relationships:[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Relationship Level<\/strong><\/td>\nAssociated Sentiment<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Level minus 1<\/td>\nAntipathy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Level 1 (transactional)<\/td>\nApathy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Level 2 (personal)<\/td>\nEmpathy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Level 3<\/td>\nCompassion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Why does it matter? <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Scheins suggest that naming and distinguishing relationship levels can help leaders respond appropriately in varied circumstances. Misunderstanding the level can create miscommunication, misguided expectations, and ultimately distrust.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

Relationships are messy, and surely Jesus didn\u2019t categorize them, but He lived them well, navigating volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity with a non-anxious presence. Edwin Friedman, in A Failure of Nerve<\/em>, defined this as the ability of a leader to remain calm and grounded in the midst of others\u2019 anxiety and chaos.[3]<\/a> This is also the heart of humble leadership: authentic relationships that build trust.<\/p>\n

How did Jesus navigate relationships in a challenging world? <\/strong><\/p>\n

In the midst of volatility, Jesus brought stability without resorting to force or control, instead offering peace grounded in prayer and presence. Through frequent bouts of uncertainty, He clarified identity and mission to his disciples, \u201cYou are the light of the world.\u201d Even when His words or parables were confusing, He consistently reminded them of who they were and their purpose<\/strong>. He gained their trust through his authenticity.<\/p>\n

In complex situations, Jesus simplified the dynamics in ways that everyone could understand. He condensed over 600 laws into two simple commands: Love God and love your neighbor. Schein teaches that humble leaders replace rigid, top-down answers by asking \u201cWhat can we learn together?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, in the face of ambiguity, Jesus demonstrated vulnerability while remaining grounded in faith and discernment. He modeled dependence on God and invited us, His followers, into faith, rather than pretending to control the future.<\/p>\n

In Closing –<\/strong><\/p>\n

My years in prison ministry have provided me with enormous opportunities for learning. Working alongside the residents taught me that leadership is not about holding the spotlight or having all the answers. It\u2019s about the ministry of presence, humility, and creating space where other voices are welcomed. Despite the often-dehumanizing environment, these women are able to grow in their walk with Christ and in building trusting relationships.<\/p>\n

Jesus modeled this type of steady leadership in a turbulent world, and the Scheins provided a framework to understand what humble leadership means. In times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, we don\u2019t need louder voices or tighter control. We need leaders who listen, show empathy, and walk together through the unknown. That kind of leadership fosters relationships that transform lives within prison walls and beyond.<\/p>\n

\n

[1]<\/a> Schein, Edgar H., and Peter A. Schein. Humble Leadership, Second Edition: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust<\/em>. Second Edition. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2023. P. 15<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid. XIII<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Friedman, Edwin H., Margaret M. Treadwell, and Edward W. Beal. A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix<\/em>. 10th anniversary revised edition. New York: Church Publishing, 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have been volunteering in a women\u2019s prison for nearly a decade. Two Saturdays a month, I leave home at 6:00 AM, arrive at the facility by 7:00 AM, and begin the lengthy entry process. I\u2019m greeted by a massive gate, which feels like something out of Jurassic Park. My belongings are scanned by an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":193,"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":[3469],"class_list":["post-41865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03-schein","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41865","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\/193"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41865"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41871,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41865\/revisions\/41871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}