A Talk Given by Brother Matthew Walderman (EUS)

PART TWO

(PART ONE was published at the end of November and is below.)

THEY ARE MASTERS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK. Encouragement, "atta - boys" well-dones, and "thank yous" are all examples of positive feedback. One cannot lead without mastering the ability to make each of these an integral part of one's being; Jesus and Edmund were truly "masters." In the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus calls the tax collector, Matthew, and then at a dinner party in Matthew's home, informs the Pharisees that he is here to eat with the tax collectors and sinners. He wants to call the sinners to His side. In the very next chapter, Jesus calls us to love our enemies and bless those who hate us and, most dramatically, after the Resurrection it is Peter, who had denied him, that Jesus asks, "Do you love me?" then "feed my sheep." No wonder we all await those words: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Edmund recognized the importance of positive feedback in establishing his system of education; so that discipline was maintained by small rewards not corporal punishment in the early schools. This same sense of concern characterized his attitude toward his brothers. Br. Normoyle writes:

Christ's love, esteem and respect for men became a noted feature of Edmund's life in his dealings with others and especially in the way he treated his brothers. He sought out their insights and encouraged them to give their opinions on decisions to be made. The brothers felt appreciated, valued and at home with him."

What greater tribute can be given?

THEY RELY ON FORESIGHT. This is the ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation. It enables one to understand the lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequences of a decision for the future. Foresight is much more experienced than defined and some think it is one of the few characteristics that are innate.

In the life of Jesus, one of the best examples of foresight is his rejection of the temptations of the devil in the desert. Declining the physical satisfaction of bread from stones, the recognition and applause God and the lure of worldly power, allowed Jesus to stay true to his mission.

In the life of Edmund, it is more in our retrospective view of his life that we see his foresight. It is only in looking back that we see the value of his great work of founding the Congregation. Br. Al Houlihan wrote:

"The life of Blessed Edmund Rice has much to say to the world as the 21^st century dawns. He speaks not in so many words but by the way he lived in a time and place every bit as challenging as the modern era is for today's people. Although it is now two centuries later, the plaintive cry of the poor is still loud and clear. Humankind continues to look for exemplars, heroes and prophets to show them that someone does hear this cry and does attempt to change the "system" which for many make it impossible for them to rise above their misery. That "someone" was Jesus and Blessed Edmund or whoever gives his or her life to serve the poor in a radical way."

THEY EMPHASIZE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. One aspect of the job of servant leader is what you do to prepare others to come after you. Jesus was always concerned about the personal development of His disciples, since they were his legacy. Jesus constantly called Peter to leadership. He named him "Rock," showed him his Transfigured self, and kept giving him another chance. He taught the apostles to pray. He constantly taught them that they must be of service: Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son, feeding of the five thousand, in all of these he helped them to develop so they could continue the mission.

Two examples from Edmund's life offer his personal involvement in the development of individuals. Carlo Bianconi was a 15 yr. old immigrant to Ireland. He was poor and spoke no English when Edmund bumped into him on the streets of Waterford. Intuitively, Edmund recognized the value and intelligence of the young man. He became his friend, taught him English, and instructed him in religion. Carlo blossomed. He developed a coach system for transporting people between towns and became well-to-do. After his death, he remembered Edmund in his will and his grand-daughter wrote: "Thanks to Edmund Rice, he advanced considerably."

The second person is referred to as "Black Johnny," since he was "black." He was a slave, Edmund purchased his freedom and got him a job with the Presentation Sisters. He later converted to Catholicism and was generous to both the Sisters and the Brothers in his will. Obviously, Edmund showed a similar concern for his students and the young brothers he initiated into religious life. This ability to live one's life so they might ask why didn't they put up a statue in his honor than why did they is at the heart of servant-leadership.

What do we take from this? Each of us, whether we are a leader with a "L" or "I" is called to servant-leadership. The call to make it an integral part of ourselves, not just a technique or a tool. To be a servant-leader, one must know and experience Jesus, for as the old Latin phrase goes, "nemo dat quod non habet" (one can't give what one does not have). Consider John 15:5. Br. Columba Keating constantly taught that Jesus came to teach us that it can be different in how we deal with each other, truly that is servant-leadership. A phrase often used in the African/American community reminds us to know "who we are and whose we are;" it is this recognition that leads us to servant-leadership.

One should also recognize that servant-leadership is not synonymous with either weak leadership or an abdication of responsibility. Servant-leaders understand the essence of leadership and don't think less of themselves, they just think of themselves less.

Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodge in their book, The Servant Leader, can provide a blueprint for those who wish to become a servant-leader. Their plan suggests four dimensions, HEART, HEAD, HANDS AND HABITS. Let us examine each element.

Servant-leadership is first and foremost an attitude and attitudes flow from our heart. What is our motivation for striving to be a leader? Is it to sit at the "head table" or to wash feet? Until one can answer that question one is not prepared to become a servant-leader. That is because being a servant-leader starts in who we are in our heart of hearts, in the essence of our being, in our world view; recall Matt 6:20-21,". . . but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... for where your treasure is your heart will be also." Is your heart in servant mode? It is imperative that one understands that this is a life-long process. We must constantly fight against the temptation of selfishness; we must continually strive to, in the words of Gordon McDonald "called people rather than driven people," we must answer the call of God and let God be in charge. Easier said than done. Blanchard and Hodges suggest two tests to determine if we are on the right road: the first is "Do you welcome and want feedback?" A servant-leader wants to improve not only those he serves but also himself; he welcomes feedback because it is a part of the growth process. Self-serving leaders view it as a threat to their position and authority. The second test is the "law of legacy." Am I preparing my successor? Leadership is not for a lifetime. What will happen when you move on? Have I shared my knowledge, have I mentored, given others projects so they may develop their skills and talents? Or have I viewed "knowledge as power," the key to protecting my status and position. How I answer these questions will tell me if my HEART is truly in an attitude of servant-leadership.

From the HEART to the HEAD. If the heart is about attitudes, the head is about beliefs. Have I reflected on my beliefs about leadership? What is the role of the leader and what are the leader's responsibilities? How does a leader interact with people? Those who desire to be servant-leaders need to recognize two aspects of the role of leadership, VISION and IMPLEMENTATION. Vision is about doing the right thing and implementation involves doing the thing right; much like the song about "love and marriage," you can't have one without the other; it is both/and, not either/or.

Effective servant-leadership begins with a clear vision; this includes three factors: one's purpose, one's picture of the future and one's values. When one has established this framework, the vision must be implemented. For this to happen the servant-leader must allow his people to be responsive, responsible and reliable to the "customers," whoever it is that the organization serves. This means they must have discretionary authority and be rewarded when they use it. This doesn't just happen, the servant-leader must model, mentor and motivate his people so they will use this authority wisely.

This then is what HANDS are all about. Once I have made servant-leadership an integral part of myself, I work with my people to model a variety of leadership styles; I walk with my people as they work to become servant-leaders and continually encourage them on the journey. Remember, Jesus took people as He found them, but He didn't leave them as they were.

If you don't use it, you lose it is an old adage about muscle development. The same is true for the skills of servant-leadership. One will always feel as if he is putting on a suit of ill-fitting clothes when we practice servant-leadership until one does it often enough that it becomes me. These are the HABITS. The essence of the habits relate back to the heart, because if I don't have the HEART of a servant-leader then I won't spend the time necessary to partner with others. This requires a daily deepening of my relationship with Jesus. This involves: SOLITUDE, PRAYER, & MEDITATION, & INVOLVEMENT IN SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIPS. Jesus and Edmund spent significant time in solitude recalling Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." This is an opportunity to get off the dance floor of life and be with God. Build this time slowly, allow the flow of the Spirit to guide you. Eventually this will become a time of conversation with God, that's prayer. It may be a time to meditate on God's word in the Scriptures. By making this part of my daily life it will become a HABIT, not something I only turn to in times of worry and distress.

Finally, it is important to remember that leadership can be lonely. It is important to have the support of good relationships, people who are "truth-tellers," who else should tell you that you have bad breath. Seriously, leaders are always in danger of hearing only what they want to hear, they can become isolated. Having friends who will be "truth-tellers" relates back to the idea of welcoming feedback. Br. Brian Walsh, Province-Leader of the Eastern American Province puts it this way, "find a good bartender." Brian is not suggesting one spend time in pubs or drinking, but that one ought to have someone like a bartender, who listens and speaks the truth.

In looking back, we see Jesus and Edmund as servant-leaders. We determine that servant-leadership is one of the tasks of our time. If we want to become servant-leaders then we, like Edmund, must let "Jesus, live in our hearts, forever."

PART ONE

In recent years we have heard Blessed Edmund identified by the many roles he lived throughout his long life. "Son, Businessman, Husband, Father, Widower, Educator, Founder, Brother, Senior Citizen" are just some of the appellations applied to him. Remarkably, there has been little, if anything, written about Edmund as Leader. Yet, how could he achieve what he did without being a leader. Perhaps part of the problem is determining how leadership is defined. Fr. James Heft, S.M., in an address to the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education in Providence, Rl, wrote: "A visit to the local bookstore gives one the impression that books about leadership are second in number only to those about self-help. And views of what constitutes leadership seem to change rapidly. An article in the Administrative Science Quarterly does not inspire hope when it lists theories of leadership that now seem to be obsolete. As we survey the path leadership theory has taken, we spot the wreckage of 'trait' theory, the 'great man' theory, the 'situationist' critique, leadership styles, functional leadership, and finally, leaderless leadership, to say nothing of bureaucratic leadership, charismatic leadership, group-centered leadership, reality-centered leadership, leadership by objective and so on." One of the theories not among the discarded is "SERVANT LEADERSHIP;" I believe this is so because it traces its roots back to Jesus.

Robert K. Greenleaf, a Quaker and a 40 year veteran of management research at AT&T, is credited with coining the term SERVANT - LEADERSHIP. He defines it in the following way: "The servant - leader is servant first. It begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test is: do those served grow as persons, do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit. . ." This definition appeals to the deepest part of our human nature, the part that urges us to rise above our present circumstances and bring others with us. For us, who are followers of Christ, it also causes us to reflect on Jesus and his teachings, for example: "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded it over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for the many (Matt 20: 25-28)." Or, as Charles Colson, of Watergate shame and now a Christian author, said, "All the kings in history sent their people out to die for them. There is only one king I know who decided to die for his people."

Ken Blanchard of "The One Minute Manager" fame expands on this theme. He suggests that regardless of one's religious background, even a cursory reading about Jesus demonstrates that He was a leader; not just a spiritual leader but a practical and effective leadership model for all organizations. Blanchard writes, "The more I read the Bible, the more I realized that Jesus did everything I'd ever taught or written about over the years. . . He is simply the greatest leadership model for all time." Not that followers of Jesus didn't know that, but it is encouraging and insightful to have someone perceived as an expert in secular issues of leadership identify Jesus as "the" model.

The events of Edmund's life and the Church declaring him BLESSED assure us that Jesus was the model for Edmund; let us use his own words to confirm this understanding:

"Pray Brothers that God's will may be fulfilled in me."

"Cast all your cares into the arms of Divine Providence."

"The will of God be done in this and everything we undertake."

Knowing that Edmund saw Jesus and commitment to Him as the touchstone of his life, let us examine how each of them was a "Servant - Leader."

Robert Greenleaf, in his work, "The Servant as Leader," provides the following listing of the characteristics of a servant leader:

THEY ARE SERVANTS FIRST. In Jesus' life, probably the best examples of this is found in the Gospel of John, Chap. 13: 2-5, 12-16. We read:

"They were at supper, and the devil had already put it into the mind of Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, and he got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing . . . When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes again, he went back to the table. 'Do you understand' he said, 'what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly, so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you. I tell you most solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him."

When we examine Edmund's life, we find him at the service of the most underserved in a suffering society. We read, "At this period of his life, Edmund Rice seemed to be living two lives. By day, he was in his working place pouring all his energies into managing his uncle's firm. After hours, he was equally occupied, this time being the agent of the homeless, the rejected, the widows, orphans, street urchins, debtors or any people who needed his help. He obtained and delivered food, bedding, fuel and medicine to the needy . . ." (Houlihan p. 39). We also know that he visited the jails and accompanied those about to be executed to the scaffold. His ongoing commitment to be one with the underclass of society certainly shows that Edmund was servant.

THEY ARTICULATE GOALS. If you don't know where you are going any road will take you there. Both Jesus and Edmund knew where they were going and they had goals for themselves and their followers. Jesus often proclaimed "I have come to do the will of Him who sent me." When working with the apostles, he directed them to goals. We read in the Gospel of Matthew: "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Later He said, "Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and wood-worms destroy them and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven..." and his mission to them included "... these twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows . . . and as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils." Jesus' final commission, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations" reiterates the goals he set for all who call themselves Christian.

Edmund also had goals, to see that poor boys were educated both in secular subjects and, most importantly, in their religion, and he possessed the zeal to overcome any obstacles in his path. It seems that he focused on this goal as early as 1795 and was willing to embark on this project that people were saying was impossible to complete. I'm reminded of the old saying: "That those who say it can't be done should not get in the way of those who are doing it." Although it would be a source of never-ending contention during his lifetime, Edmund, as a practical businessman, had a goal of financial security for his fledgling Congregation, thus we read: "Br. Rice had long foreseen that the expansion and even the very existence of the Institute would become uncertain from lack of financial support. His confidence in Providence remained unshaken but he also knew that Providence requires human cooperation, which to his thinking involved the opening of pay-schools."

The basis of his goals was the "rock of prayer" so that they might withstand the fury of opposition and obstacles, we read: "It was the prudence, the almost inspired foresight, the charity, the forbearance, the enlightenment, all of which were the fruits of silent prayer before the tabernacle, that enabled the Founder to steer the bark of the Institute through all the turbulent waters of the early years." Thus we see his vision translated into goals, leading to action which resulted in the success of his "impossible dream."

THEY INSPIRE TRUST. It seems difficult for us, even with the help of hindsight, to think that Jesus would have to inspire trust; since faith in Him has been the driving force behind the lives of literally billions of people. But for those who walked the earth with Him, they were faced with this individual who talked and acted differently. Something must have inspired them to trust this "carpenter's son." As is true even today, Jesus is one who "walked the talk," this obviously was the first step in inspiring trust in himself. He also had a sense of who He was so that He could "speak with authority." Yet even with this, the Apostles still had their moments of doubt; Peter walking on the water, Thomas after the Resurrection; but this early faith, small as an acorn, grew into the great oak of Christianity, a living sign of the trust they had in Jesus.

In a similar vein, Edmund also "inspired trust." Why else would mature men, successful in business, leave everything to teach poor, unruly kids? There was no tradition, no assurances of success and often difficulties and conflict, but they came and stayed. In  A Tree Is Planted, we read:

"One reason for his success was that he had the gift of leadership. He was able to inspire his followers with his own spirit of devotion so that they continued the works initiated by him. To meet him was to be attracted by the magnetism of his personality. n no other way, allowing for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, can be explained the number of fine men who decided to follow his example and devote themselves to the demanding life of a teaching religious."

THEY KNOW HOW TO LISTEN. Historically, leaders have been acknowledged for their ability to communicate. This essential skill must include a commitment to listen to what others say and don't say, it is an active skill. Jesus listened and responded. Consider the cure of the Centurions Servant (Lk 7:1-10) or the Apostles' request to learn how to pray (Lk 11:2-4). In each instance, Jesus not only hears the request, He responded with an appropriate answer.

"He consulted his brothers on all matters of importance: the drawing up of the new Rule, an offering for New South Wales in 1833; and the proposed opening of pay schools. A typical letter on such an occasion is as follows: There may be some objections to what I have proposed for your consideration, and in order to know the sentiment of all the professed Brothers on a matter of such importance to our Institute, I wish to know your and their opinion without being influenced by any person."

Of course, there would be no Congregation had Edmund not listened to his sister-in-aw who dissuaded him from entering a monastery on the continent and encouraged him to stay home and devote his talent and treasure to educating poor Irish lads.