Two mindsets that help Catholics lead consistently with their faith

Where does being a faithful Catholic end and becoming a great leader begin? Can these two personas coexist with ease and grace? Two mindsets can profoundly help Catholics to lead in a way consistent with their Catholic faith. 

The first mindset is to base one’s leadership on authority rather than on power. 

The best leaders possess power but never abuse it for self-serving purposes. A leader who wants to live the Catholic faith with grace is called to lead from authority and never from power. Leaders often are seen abusing their privileges by making themselves superior, by holding others down, back, or away. That, however, is not authority-based leadership but power-based leadership, which is destructive and counter to our belief that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. 

When leaders lead from a position of power, they degrade others and treat them as inferior or as objects. This use of power is rooted in fear and pride; it demands winners and losers. In contrast, leaders who lead from a position of authority support their team members and enable them to live and operate to their highest potential. 

Authority-based leadership prospers customers, shareholders, and team members simultaneously. This concept is simple to understand but not easy to accomplish. It takes work, discipline, and commitment, but the results for the company, team members, and leaders themselves are absolutely worthwhile. That is because authority-based leadership creates a culture of dignity and self-respect that drives high-achievement results. 

Leading from authority means treating all team members with dignity and respect while holding true to the desired outcome for the position. It recognizes that each team member is distinct and has a specific role to perform, and that the value of this role is important to the company’s success. Authority-based leaders never lower standards to avoid conflict, realizing instead that doing so risks unintended costs and consequences.

Authority-based leadership is about coaching and developing team members so that they expand their knowledge and skills, leading each person the way they need to be led. Leading a new team member, for example, will require managing at a more detailed level whereas leading a highly skilled and proven team member only requires an accountability partner. 

It doesn’t mean being authoritative, however. That implies a commanding or imposing style, which falls in line with power-based leadership. Authority-based leadership simply means taking responsibility for helping team members thrive in their area of work. 

A second mindset is to differentiate judgment from evaluation. As Catholics we are asked not to “judge” others. How can a leader not make judgments? The key is to evaluate rather than judge. 

Evaluating is an intellectual exercise based on objective assessment of facts. Judging is emotional and feeling-based, such that results are justified or assessed based on criteria that are unclear or vary based on the relationship. 

Evaluating is results-focused and always results in learning; judging is person-focused and results in blaming. Evaluating assesses the result, action, or event according to a goal, metric, or standard of conduct such as core values; judging focuses on a person’s value, worth, or heart. One leader might evaluate a person’s action as disrespectful and inconsistent with an organization’s core values; another leader might judge the same person a bully.

Evaluating focuses on the present, based on a designated time period, situation, or goal, not allowing past situations and experiences to cloud perceptions. Judging often involves carrying the past forward and labeling people with negative terms or expectations.

Becoming a great leader is absolutely compatible with remaining a faithful Catholic. Embracing these two mindsets is one step along the way.