What is the Catholic Leadership Puzzle?
Very simply, it is the process through which we can build communities that will save souls, make saints, and transform the world.
Now, why an emphasis upon a Catholic Leadership Puzzle?
Two reasons.
First, I am highlighting the little “c” meaning of catholic in that all of what will be spoken and shared applies universally to all leaders and communities.
Second, is the reality that the Catholic Church, the big “C” Catholic, is the largest common grouping of leaders and communities in the world with more than 1.3 billion faithful. (The whole conversation about whether those 1.3 billion are actively participating is a whole different issue that will probably be spoken about in a future post and podcast.)
So, keeping in mind both of those things is why I named this the Catholic Leadership Puzzle, and not just the Leadership Puzzle.
Another question you might have is why a puzzle? How is the going about being a leader and the living out of our leadership in our communities like a puzzle?
Simply, because there are many different pieces, or aspects, to leadership. (This is not to be confused with different types of leadership, also a conversation for a future post.)
In order for true and effective leadership to bear fruit and resulting in life-giving communities, all the “pieces” of leadership need to be present.
Often, we may see what appear to be life-giving communities, and they may even be so, but only for a short amount of time. Eventually, these communities implode, divide or dissolve, and are no more. Usually this is because of a lack of proper coaching and accompaniment within the community, or a lack of integrated collaboration within parts of the community or maybe an improper understanding of the larger mission and/or roles of the members.
Bottom line, a piece is missing.
And that brings us to leadership.
Regardless of what we may think of ourselves, everyone is a leader. But not everyone wants to lead. If we are Christians, then being a leader is inherent in our baptism into the life of Christ when we were conformed to Him and became priest, prophet and king.
To be kingly is to be a leader. So, by being followers of Christ, we are, in a nutshell, leaders.
But even if you do not profess Christ, you still are a leader by the reality of your dignity as a human person. If you are human, you are a leader.
So, that’s where the Catholic Leadership Puzzle got its name.
But why is this important?
Because if we are able to fully become the leaders that we have been created to be, and can help others do the same within our Catholic/catholic communities, then we have a chance to really save souls, make saints and transform the world.
And the world needs transformation, doesn’t it?
Besides that though is the reality that this is a conversation of life and death.
How well we do in acquiring and implementing the puzzle pieces of leadership within our communities will determine the wellness of generations to come, and whether we as communities are thriving or places of death. Death to the mind. Death to the body. Death to the soul.
We need to not let that happen.
And what’s absolutely amazing is that we can be a part of the transformation by doing our part in our part of the world in our “move-able square meter” (thanks Juan Ruiz!) to the best of our capabilities.
And that’s what I am hoping to do here with The Catholic Leadership Puzzle. To create a place to discuss, wrestle and share about what leadership entails, how to go about it in our communities, and then to inspire, encourage and accompany others to do the same so souls are saved, saints are made, and the world is transformed into what it was originally created to be—paradise. (God willing!)
“There’s nothing more powerful than a united group of souls ignited on a common cause with love at the core.”—Steven Morris, The Beautiful Business
Let us be ignited by the common cause that lays before us, and become powerful witnesses of what is possible when we are united in love for the good of one another and the world.
I am all in for this journey.
How about you?
Make sure to keep your eye out for a follow-up email that contains the inaugural The Catholic Leadership Puzzle podcast where I continue the conversation begun in this post.
If any of this sounds appealing to you, make sure to add your email and hit subscribe below in order to join me in the conversation.