Leadership

"In a conversation there is always more than one voice, and one of the voices must be our own or it is no conversation at all. We do not try to overpower others at work with our voice in order to have a conversation, nor do we substitute someone else's for our own, but we are there, we are present, we are heard. We play the tension like a violin string at concert pitch." (David Whyte, Crossing the Unknown Sea, 56) 

I came across this quote this morning at my normal SB place of learning. It struck me because there swirls around at this moment the attempts by some to "overpower" the conversation, all the while claiming to be a team. The day for back room deals done without the participating conversation are done. In a wider cultural shift toward relational models of life, the continued attempts to insist up on the parent-child model of relationships no longer respect and honor the Imago Dei. 

BTW, this notion of "participating conversations" stems from a Triune model of relational leadership and power originating from this original, non-earthly model. The tension of a Trinitarian model challenges our notions of tension-relief, where, rather than living with a courage born from the nature of a gospel, we seek to relieve the tension by refusing the messy process. Process is always of equal value to outcome. The greatest demonstration of this universally is a God who will not force an outcome but invigorates the relational trust by demonstrating Himself more and more through the process than the outcome. We still live outside the Garden because this Trinitarian model decided long ago that process has equal value to outcome. Sure, holding this value of both (process and outcome) is messy and risky. We can easily come to despise (even hate) this God because He will not short-circuit the process to make haste to the outcome.

What does this mean? We who claim to take the path of His Way must always be open to the "Other." Is it messy? Yes. Was the cross messy? Messiness doesn't give us the option of short-circuiting because it is "easier" or "less messy." When positional leadership purposefully ignores the necessary conversations and are unwilling to broaden participation for the purpose of "fiscal responsibility" or other reasons, there will be a messiness that is worse. The violation of dignity, respect, and honor creates a chaos normally unintended. 

Here is where the parent-child model of leadership turns destructive. This model in the workplace violates this very Imago Dei for it does not treat people in the workplace as equals but as children. "We know better" is the impression handed down from deals done in the bedroom. Those who voice dissent are regarded as trouble. I believe what people are looking for as a "distinctive" is not a doctrinal or lifestyle purity but an organization that truly operates differently, an organism that operates with the incredible combination of hand, head, and heart. 

There is always more than one voice in a conversation. Do we practice this or do we mouth the empty and vain words? Stay tuned!