Dear Friends,

Several years ago, US management expert, Gary Hamel, writing in the Harvard Business Review, paraphrased an address that Pope Francis had given to the Roman Curia. In opening his piece, he stated that the Pope’s message to his colleagues was blunt: leaders are susceptible to an array of debilitating maladies, and when these go untreated the organisation is enfeebled. To have a healthy Church, Pope Francis stressed, we need healthy leaders. We can say the same of any organisation.

So impressed was Hamel with the Pope’s forthrightness that he spent some time interpreting the Pope’s address, or maybe more correctly, translating his address into what he called, “something closer to corporate speak”. He then presented “The 15 Diseases of Leadership, according to Pope Francis”.

Here they are, the Diseases of…

1. Thinking we are immortal, immune or downright indispensable. This leads to neglecting the need for regular ‘check-ups’, or what we might name as performance reviews or leadership audits. “It is the pathology of power and comes from a superiority complex, from a narcissism which passionately gazes at its own image and does not see the face of others, especially the weakest and those most in need”.

2. Excessive busyness. This can be an expression of the “I do, therefore I am” syndrome, which sees doing and productivity as life’s essential goal. However, the dangers of workaholism are well known. Lack of rest and balance leads to stress and agitation.

3. Mental and emotional petrification. This is found in leaders “who have a heart of stone, the “stiff-necked;” in those who in the course of time lose their interior serenity, alertness and daring, and hide under a pile of papers, turning into paper pushers and not men and women of compassion”.

4. Excessive planning and functionalism. This sort of control reduces a leader to an office manager. Planning and organisation is required, but it should be open to spontaneity, serendipity, flexibility and new ideas.

5. Poor coordination. “Once leaders lose a sense of community among themselves, the body loses its harmonious functioning and its equilibrium”. A spirit of camaraderie and teamwork is essential.

6. A type of Leadership “Alzheimer’s Disease”. This is related to the temptation to lose touch with those who nurtured and supported us, to lose sight of our original inspiration and become tied to the now and to our latest obsessions.

7. Rivalry and vainglory. This is a common problem. Others are seen as competitors and leaders can become more caught up in titles, positions and perks than in serving and leading.

8. Existential schizophrenia. This can be evident in double standards, saying one thing doing something entirely different. It’s when we expect more of others than we are willing to give ourselves. It often afflicts those who are caught up in bureaucratic matters and aren’t in touch with the real or ordinary.

9. Gossiping, grumbling and back-biting. This comes from a spirit of nastiness, of wanting to put others down. It shows a lack of confidence and courage to be able to speak honestly. Pope Francis warned about giving into the “terrorism of gossip”.

10. Idolizing superiors. This is derived from a desire to curry favour and gain possible reward. It indicates careerism and opportunism. It can also be expressed in Leaders wanting their subordinates to relate to them in an unnatural way. The Pope reserved particularly strong words for these people: “Small-minded persons, unhappy and inspired only by their own lethal selfishness”.

11. Indifference to others. This is where Leaders become so immersed in their own world and their own issues that they show little regard for others, seeing them as just functionaries. They refuse to share their knowledge and fail to encourage and support others.

12. The Downcast Face. This is based on the mistaken belief that to be a Leader dealing with significant matters you always have to look serious. Amiability, kindliness and humour are important elements in leading a community and growing confidence among employees.

13. Hoarding. “This occurs when a leader tries to fill an existential void in his or her heart by accumulating material goods, not out of need but only in order to feel secure”. Pope Francis commented our funeral’s “winding sheet does not have pockets”.

14. Closed Circles. This is the tendency to develop a clique, closed to others, unless specifically invited in. It threatens harmony, common vision and shared objectives.

15. Extravagance and Self-Exhibition. “This happens when a leader turns his or her service into power, and uses that power for material gain, or to acquire even greater power”. This can lead people to use any means to achieve their goals.

Now I’m not going to suggest that you think of Leaders you know and try to match them to one, some or all of these. I can think of a number on our world stage who would qualify.

My suggestion is – self review. How do I – you – we stack up against these? You might find it an interesting exercise, even a revealing one.

Good wishes

Br Peter Carroll FMS

President, Catholic Religious Australia.