The wisdom of Legatus’ non-solicitation policy

I recently received an email from a well-known, local Catholic insurance agent asking to attend a Legatus chapter event. He has a wonderful reputation, and my first instinct was to invite him to a meeting.

John Oberg

After some quick discovery we found that he didn’t qualify to be a Legate. I was conflicted. I want people to experience what Legatus has to offer, and at the same time I realize that without qualifying for Legatus it may be hard to appreciate all that we receive from our membership.

This led me to think more deeply about my Legatus experience. Now, you may be wondering what any of this has to do with an ethics column. Let’s dive deeper into the importance of setting and maintaining boundaries as they relate to peer membership organizations and then explore how we appropriately and lovingly communicate and uphold our standards.

Legatus has created a safe space for the spiritual formation of Catholic business leaders in order that they may be better ambassadors for Christ — that they will treat their daily lives as mission fields for evangelizing those outside the Church and encouraging deeper formation for those within her body. It’s a place where we, as leaders, are in the less familiar place of receiving rather than giving!

It’s precisely this mission of forming Catholic CEOs that requires a safe meeting space. In order to create this safe place, we encourage an atmosphere of vulnerability that further encourages acceptance of one another and fosters closer relationships. Legatus is such a place for business leaders to come and “let their guard down” for an evening with their spouses. If we are candid, we recognize that some of the challenges we face as business leaders are not always easy to discuss. As such, it’s important that we maintain the highest integrity in two areas in particular — our non-solicitation policy and our membership standards.

Our non-solicitation policy is critically important if we are to let our guard down entirely in order to be influenced by Reconciliation, the rosary, Mass and the Eucharist, our conversation with peers, and our thought-provoking speakers. We are a group with tremendous financial means, high ambition — and most of us are comfortable with casting vision and affecting positive change. It’s natural for us to have a desire to harness our group of Legates to pull together for some worthy cause — or causes.

However, in this case, our own formation is the cause. It’s critical that we give our group of leaders a safe haven to recharge their batteries so they have the energy and grounding to continue to do good works outside of the bounds of Legatus. Certainly new friendships will be formed and you will find yourself working alongside one another in the community — but as friends or part of another organization (not Legatus).

In the same vein, it’s critical that we protect our membership standards. The greatest temptations I have in this area are the many opportunities I have to invite guests to our monthly chapter events. I must realize that to invite non-qualifying members may hurt the integrity of the meeting.

Certainly we want to include immediate family and clergy when the occasion is appropriate. In any case, we must consider the unintended consequences of inviting those who do not walk in our shoes. In one case I had an unqualified young man approach me to ask for an invitation. He was clear that he was trying to network to find a professional job and that he would like to be employed by a Legatus member. I immediately loved the idea of connecting two Catholics, but at what cost? I know that the members of my chapter (likely yours) exhibit extraordinary generosity and would have welcomed him with open arms. Our members would love to help out, but doing so would take the focus off the formation.

While this may seem selfish, it’s more like self-care. Something special happens during our evenings together. Jesus himself took time to be with the Father even in the midst of people who wanted his attention. We, too, need this time away from the requests and demands of the world that we might reflect and deepen our faith.

We have a responsibility to one another to create a wonderful environment for Legatus, and I for one have been tempted to breach the integrity of that environment. I ask for your help: Pray for Legatus and for me; hold me accountable to preserving the integrity of our mission to serve Catholic leaders in order to have a broader impact in our daily mission field. And know that I am praying for you.

JOHN OBERG is the president of Legatus’ Austin Chapter and a partner at an international consulting firm focused on revenue growth.