Power

The capacity to ensure the outcomes we want and prevent those we dont want.

1. In your personal circle of family, friends and colleagues, whom do you consider powerful? Why? 2. Where are you most powerful in your life?

3. Where are you least powerful?

4. What, if anything, does power have to do with leadership?

We rightly feel ambiguous towards power. We know from experience that power can be coercive, exploitative, manipulative, oppressive.

Interestingly enough, the most destructive and dispiriting uses of power come from those who are most insecure about their power.

Christian tradition has contributed to transforming our idea of power. The paradox of power is that Jesus is never more powerful than when he is on his knees...

. . . or hanging on the cross.

Janet Hagberg
Author, lecturer, activist, certified spiritual director. Twice and Outstanding Alumnus Achievement awardee of the University of Minnesota where she took a BA and MA in Social Work. Janet is active in the field of career and organizational development. Clients include 3M, Ecolab Inc., Unisys, USBank, General Mills, Land O' Lakes, Dr Pepper, Kellogg, Gillette Company, Honeywell, Governor of Minnesota, Alcoa. Her work on power is a product of research done towards a doctorate in Adult Development at the Univ. of Minnesota. She is currently Executive Director of the Silent Witness Initiative against domestic violence.

The best leaders are those who combine the outer capacity for action (external power) with the inner capacity for reflection (internal power).
J. Hagbeg, Real Power

The capacity to act.

The capacity to reflect.

De La Salle was interested in forming

Some important points:

1. Power is experienced and manifested differently at each stage of our leadership journey. Each stage has unique challenges & benefits. 2. Stages 1-3 are externally and organizationally oriented. Stages 4-6 are internally oriented. 3. The stages are arranged in a developmental order. We move through the home stages only in the order in which they are numbered. 4. You can be in different stages in different areas of your life, in different situations, and with different people. But each has a home stage which most closely represents him/her stance.

5. Some people stay at the same stage for a lifetime. Others are driven to learn/grow as fast as they can. There is no one right way to change and not all will choose to. 5. Movement from one stage to the next is usually precipitated by a personal crisis. We move forward or stay stuck depending on how we respond.

6. You do not necessarily proceed to the next stage merely with age or experience, although both are factors. 7. The development and relinquishment of ego are central tasks within this model.

Transition through the stages involves a kind of dying, a letting go of familiar patterns and sources of security in order to grasp new possibilities even when we do not know where they will lead.

The 1st half (Stages 1-3) of the leadership journey External power (the capacity to act) is represented by confidence, competence, expertise, titles, success, degrees, stature, money, self-esteem and recognition. * Marshaling resources * Meeting goals * Managing people * Making things happen * Achieving culturally defined success * Making a living

The 2nd half (stages 4-6) of the leadership journey In the second half of the journey we integrate external power (the capacity to act) with internal power (the capacity to reflect). Internal power emerges out of our inner self, our souls, our deepest values, and is more related to who we really are and what our life purposes are. * Finding meaning and a sense of calling in our work * Exploring our inner passion * Creating long-lasting effects * Rooted in spirituality, community and connectedness * Empowering others

How can I survive?

CHARACTERISTICS Dependent Low in self-esteem Uninformed Feels manipulated Helpless but not hopeless Addictions
HELD BACK BY: fear and lack of self-esteem

AS A LEADER . . . Exercises domination/ coercion inspiring fear and resentment ; avoids risks.
Spiritual stance: Awe or need lead to discovering a Higher Power in ones life.

DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: blaming, complaining MOVES FORWARD BY: Developing self-esteem, acting on ones own behalf, learning new skills, confronting fears, finding allies, seeking professional help

Nicolle Mot passed away on July 19, 1671 at the age of thirty-six and Louis de La Salle followed nine months later on April 9, 1672. De La Salle became the executor of the estate and sole guardian of his brothers and sisters.
The deaths were a severe blow and may have forced him to reconsider his vocation. He stopped studying and returned to Reims to see to their education and to settle the estate.

He would not take up his studies again until four years later.

CHARACTERISTICS Apprenticeship Learning the ropes Learning the culture Dependent on supervisor or leader HELD BACK BY: Lack of self-confidence, need for security and approval

AS A LEADER . . . Sticks to established rules & fosters dependency, seeks approval Spiritual stance: Discipleship/ Learning about the spiritual journey.

DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: colluding with others, leaning on a peer group
MOVES FORWARD BY: finding a mentor, getting feedback, becoming more competent, becoming more disciplined, building networks, taking risks, caring for self

In Reims, DLS took as his spiritual director Canon Nicolas Roland, reknowned for his piety and the founder of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. He urged DLS to forge on and not to delay his ordination to the subdiaconate which took place on June 11, 1672.

CHARACTERISTICS Dynamo Realistic Mature ego Ambitious Competitive Charismatic Expert HELD BACK BY: Not knowing youre stuck, confusion when you realize you are discontent.

AS A LEADER . . . Exercises charisma and persuasion; fosters a do what it takes to win attitude. Inspires the pursuit of symbols of success. Spirituality is being productive in Gods service.

DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: Concealing/rationalizing; fighting back MOVES FORWARD BY: Accepting the change a crisis can bring; learning to be alone and to engage in self-reflection, trying new experiences/relationships that make you think differently, getting advice from persons at higher stages

There is a tendency in organizations to demand and reward external power and neglect if not discourage internal power.

True leadership requires that we move beyond the egocentrism of Stage 3 to a life lived with integrity, a sense of higher purpose, and a desire to serve and empower others.

DLS was a rising star in the clergya wealthy canon of one of the major cathedrals in France. In March 1679, he met Adrian Nyel at the doorway of the convent of the Sisters of the Child Jesus on Rue de Barbatre. John Baptist agreed to help Nyel, first by giving the latter advice and ultimately becoming his patron and acting as a godfather to Nyels schoolmasters.

Stage 4: Power by Reflection

How can I find meaning and purpose?
CHARACTERISTICS Reflective; journeys inward Loss of certainties & search for new directions Collaborative Strong Influential Skilled at mentoring AS A LEADER . . . Seeks to align the outer world with the inner world; leads with principle and integrity; inspires trust and hope. Spirituality is rediscovering the Holy.

HELD BACK BY Ego-control, not knowing lifes purpose DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: Reflecting on lessons learned MOVES FORWARD BY: Hitting the wall, moving beyond intellect, letting go of ego and of control, facing fears/shadows, going to your core, finding intimacy with God, glimpsing wisdom

Move from building up (Stages 1-3) to letting go (Stages 4-6). Transition that feels like Stage 1. Move from outward journey to inward journey. Live the questions now.

For men: claiming the unacknowledged feminine; for women, accepting the balance of feminine and masculine so as not to end up honorary men. Pursuit of tangible rewards to intangibles like integrity, peace of mind, sense of purpose, etc.
Move from understanding power as depleteable to power as infinitemultiplying as it is passed on.

Without tuition, the survival of the schools was a source of anxiety. De La Salle admonished his followers not to fear but to trust in Gods providence.

Their reply was, Its easy for you to talk. You have a fortune and a canonry. We are poor men with nothing. If the work dies, so do we.
Seeing the truth of their criticism and the need to strengthen their faith, De La Salle decided he had to take a dramatic step.

The Wall is the place where the things we have hidden from the world, or thought we had hidden, come back to haunt us. At the wall we cannot move forward without embracing our own personal shadow behavior, behavior we dont want to look at but cant seem to avoid anymore. The Wall is the place where our shadow becomes clear and we make a decision whether or not we will deal with it. . . It is the place of transformation. Once having experienced it you will never be the same again. (Hagberg))

The Wall
In the Wall, we face our controlling ego and our shadow self. It is the Moment of Truth/ the Place of Inner Choices with our will facing Gods will and choosing whether or not to let go/surrender to God. BLOCKS TO GROWTH Denial and flight from pain; self-will CRISIS: Old solutions dont work; losing your soul; cant go on; stagnation

WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD: Embrace pains gifts and graces Believe in healing before it happens Stay accountable to someone who knows your story Move beyond intellect to intuition/gut feeling Letting go of ego and of control Embracing your shadow Going to your core Finding intimacy with God Surrendering ones life to God Glimpsing wisdom

I can no longer continue on this road. My vocation to the canonry left me before I could leave it.

Live the gospel of providence you proclaim. Abandon yourself to God!

In 1684, in response to the call of the gospel, John Baptist resigned his canonry, liquidated his inheritance and sold his possessions. He used the money to buy food which he distributed to the poor during a famine in one of the coldest winters in memory .

Thus he burned his bridges to the world of wealth and power, becoming a true brother to his disciples.

Stage 5: Power by Purpose

How do I ignite passion?
CHARACTERISTICS Self-accepting, humble Visionary & courageous Unified inner and outer world Confident of life calling Conscience of the organization Practical mystic Empowers others generously HELD BACK BY: Not understanding the universe/ not seeing the bigger picture; not willing to pay the price of vision AS A LEADER . . . Eager to transform & empower, challenges assumptions, embraces unpopular issues , mentor to the organization. Inspires love and service. Spirituality is surrendering to the Holy.

DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: Being undaunted, focusing on the mountaintop MOVES FORWARD BY: Seeking to understand the universe-staying true to ones path.

In 1691, the Institute of the Brothers came close to collapse due to: legal battles to close down schools lack of donors/resources

deaths of several Brothers due to overwork and illness

the death of De La Salles friend and chosen successor Br. Henri LHereux conflicts within communities Brothers abandoning the work

Discouragement, low morale

closure of teacher-training centers due to lack of recruits

Fearing the collapse of the Institute, De La Salle and two trusted Brothers met at Vaugirard and together made a sacred vow to God and one another to keep the society and the work alive even if they were the last members left, forced to beg for alms and survive on bread alone.

Very soon, more Brothers were inspired to commit themselves to the work with renewed zeal. The number of recruits increased and the schools quickly spread and became famous throughout France.

Stage 6: Power by Wisdom

How can I instill wisdom?
CHARACTERISTICS Sage- seeing the big picture- Gestalt Comfortable with paradox Integrating shadow Unafraid of death Free to relinquish external power Quiet in service Self-sacrificing Compassion for the world HELD BACK BY: Human condition DEALS WITH PROBLEMS BY: Reframing them so they are not experienced as problems. AS A LEADER . . . Poses different future possibilities; acts as mentor to the larger community. Inspires inner peace and sense of vocation. Spirituality is being transparent to the Holy: Not I but God in me.

Near the end of his life, De La Salle told his friends, If I had known in the beginning where God would lead me, I would never have had the courage to begin. But God was gentle with me. He led me step by step without me knowing in advance where the road would end.

Leadership is a way of relating that enables a group

to achieve mutually agreed upon goals

that spring from a shared vision

of what is good, and true and valuable.

Leadership always comes back to the issue of character, of deep foundational values. . . . You cannot lead by forcing compliance. It simply doesnt work. The rate of change is too high to be managed from the top down.
In order to lead one must engage followers. You will not find followers without caring, connecting and creating. Would you follow someone who did not care about you, connect with you, or did not wish to create a new reality? Mere compliance today is a recipe for disaster. As leaders or would-be leaders, we must be vulnerable. None of us has arrived. We must recognize our own voyage. We can only lead effectively by enabling others to maximize their contribution.

We are all on the journey together, accomplishing things that none of us could accomplish alone.
- Rob Harvey, corporate officer at Herman Miller

Domination, coercion, force Sticking to the rules Charisma & persuasiveness Integrity Love and service Wisdom

Fear, resentment Dependency/compliance Winning attitude; need for symbols of success Trust and hope

Love and service

A sense of higher purpose/vocation

They are concerned with what is right, just, and fair in the long run. They are interested in principle, quality and effectiveness. They lead with virtue and integrity. They are thoughtful, sensible, honest, not self-serving. They lead because they have become deserving of others trust.

They see their main goal as empowering others to be their best selves and to give their best. To do this they serve others by guiding, coaching, supporting, encouraging so as to draw out the best in others. They are convinced that the good of their team is more important than the good of the designated leaders and they behave accordingly.

They lead by guiding others to find their life purpose, to discover their inner power, to connect with their own centers of value and energy and to bring these in harmony with the organizations vision. They help others discern what is of real importance to them and challenge them to discover their true calling.

1. What predominant stage do you find yourself in in your current community/work/assignment? 2. What kind of power do you see yourself exercising? 3. How do you generally deal with setbacks and problems?

4. Where are you stuck? What holds you back?

5. What do you feel you need to do to deal with this blockage and move forward?

PART 2

Leadership hinges on the transformation of the self that occurs when we get in touch with our spirits inner power and strive to harmonize our external life structures and activities with it.

When our daily activities and work are unrelated to our center of value and meaning, our source of passion, life becomes fragmented, we lose heart and spirit, our energy seems to drain away amidst a thousand trivialities.

There is enormous power that comes from connecting with our center of meaning and value.

Whats my life goal? Simple.To live an undivided life.

Spirituality is the way the way we organize our lives around our deepest source of energy and desire.

The Founders passion was his vision of a God who reaches out to embrace all that is poor and weak and vulnerable. His passion was a sharing in Gods passion for the young and the poor.

The Founders spirituality provides a pattern of participation in Gods creative and redemptive action in the world I WALK IN GODS WORLD AND LIVE IN GODS PRESENCE
This I know, that God is on my side. . .in God I put my trust and have no fear. Ps. 56:9,11

JESUS LIVES IN ME AND THROUGH ME IS AT WORK IN THE WORLD

It is no longer I who live but Jesus Christ who lives in me.

GODS SPIRIT BREAKS INTO MY LIFE AND MOVES ME TO ACTION

Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirits lead. Gal. 5:25

Gal. 2:20

We walk in Gods world. Our fulfillment is not to be found by seeking our good independently of God, but in trusting submission to God, for God wills only one thing: that through his Son all may have joy, be loved, and come to fullness of life.

The presence of God is

. . . a loving presence
. . . a healing presence . . . a forgiving presence . . . an empowering presence . . . a challenging presence . . . a saving presence.

There is an inner movement in all creation and history propelled by Gods Spirit moving humankind towards a final unity where all will be part of Gods family, children of God in the fullest possible manner. - Joseph Grassi, The Secret of Paul the Apostle (1978)

Jesus wants to love and save all , especially those whose lives are a mess. In the world of the young, we are his sacraments. He has only us.

Entering into Jesus attitudes and dispositions in the gospels and learning to exercise them as he did.

Entering into Jesus point of view, his way of thinking, feeling and judging as shown in his words.

Entering into Gods unfolding plan by participating in the saving activity of the Son and the Spirit in history.

The big results are not in our hands. The Holy Spirit gives our words and actions the power to touch and transform lives.

The Holy Spirit gives us a new relationship of love with the Father and enables us to love others, even the most difficult people, for Gods sake.

The Spirit works on our intellect and imagination enabling us to discern the best ways to express love for God and others. As guide, the Spirit is associated with the virtue of prudence and the workings of conscience.

The Holy Spirit provides the fortitude to persevere in truth, charity and justice, to conquer fear, and to serve Gods purposes in the world. The Spirit gives us talents to be used for the building up of the community. Finally, the Spirit strengthens us to reach beyond the community to the poor and those in need and to build a more just and equitable society.

The best leaders are those who combine the outer capacity for action (external power) with the inner capacity for reflection (internal power).
J. Hagbeg, Real Power

Reflective Disciplines The Prayer of Simple Attention Centering Prayer

Active Disciplines Sharing of Personal Life Stories Practice of the Virtues Deep Listening Seeking Feedback Personal Growth Workshops Work

Lectio Divina
The Daily Examen The Practice of the Presence of God Spiritual direction Journalling