From a previous discussion in the Leadership and History
session, we discussed The Rule of Benedict (Benedict, 1998). I thought it was interesting that the Rule of
Benedict was based on an earlier work, the Rule of the Master and that by “seeing
and seeing again”, Benedict decided to “prune out” all matters that did not
deal with what it means to live in a monastery.
This brings to mind our Leadership and Art seminar and the concept of
seeing negative space.
As I read The Rule of Benedict (Benedict, 1998), I had a
little trouble trying to put the text in non-6th century language in
order to extrapolate and apply it to organizational leadership. However, I was able to cobble together some modest
similarities between leading a monastery and modern corporate governance.
Chapter three, “Of Calling the Brethren for Counsel”
(Benedict 1998), stands out most as it defines the decision making process in a
monastery. The first paragraph states,
Whenever weighty
matters are to be transacted in the monastery let the Abbot call together the
whole community, and make known the matter which is to be considered. Having heard the brethren's views, let him
weigh the matter with himself and do what he thinketh best. It is for this reason, however, we said that
all should be called for counsel, because the Lord often revealeth to the
younger what is best. Let the brethren,
however, give their advice with humble submission, and let them not presume
stubbornly to defend what seemeth right to them, for it must depend rather on
the Abbot's will, so that all obey him in what he considereth best. But as it becometh disciples to obey their
master, so also it becometh the master to dispose all things with prudence and
justice. Therefore, let all follow the
Rule as their guide in everything, and let no one rashly depart from it. (Benedict & Fry, 1907)
Here, following the Vroom-Yetton
decision model (1973), I believe that the style of decision making that the
author suggests most closely resembles the Consultative Type 2 (GII) style
where,
[The] Leader shares problem to relevant followers
as a group and seeks their ideas and suggestions and makes decision alone. Here followers meet each other, and through
discussions they understand other alternatives.
But the leader’s decision may or may not reflect his followers'
influence. So, here followers’
involvement is at the level of helping as a group in decision-making. (Vroom & Yetton, 1973)
Another passage that applies to
organizational leadership is chapter five, “Of Obedience” (Benedict, 1998). Here, I believe that the author is not
referring to blind obedience to a superior power. Rather, the writer is referring to the idea
of monastic obedience. Monastic
obedience, according to…
[B]egins with a
personal relationship, not an organizational structure. Monastic obedience is a relationship between
the monastic and the monastic leader, and then extends to the relationship with
all of the monastic community in mutual obedience. The object of monastic obedience is the
seeking of God. The monastic leader is a
"director of souls”, not a work boss nor a manager nor a torturer. Rather, all that is done by the leader with
each individual is meant to help the individual move forward in the seeking of
God. When the superior commands, it is
because the command is a tool for this monastic's search for God. (Ward, n.d.)
Here, as a segue to the next
literary review, Ward (unintentionally) puts Benedict’s work in context. The message of both authors appears to be
that of learning to let go of the need to Burger King your life; to have
everything, “Your way, Right-Away”. Instead, I believe that Benedict is
suggesting that you find joy where you are.
Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, Wherever You
Go, There You Are (1994), also prescribes finding joy in the present through
mindfulness meditation. In his book, the
author suggests methods of becoming more completely present in our own lives. My favorite quote from this work is directly related
to the emotional intelligence side of organizational leadership.
Life on earth is
a whole, yet it expresses itself in unique time-bound bodies, microscopic or
visible, plant, or animal, extinct or living. So there can be no one place to be. There can be no one way to be, no one way to
practice, no one way to learn, no one way to love, no one way to grow or to
heal, no one way to live, no one way to feel, no one thing to know or be known.
The particulars count. (Kabat-Zinn, 1994)
It is the acceptance of others
and the appreciation of the differences in each other that make the human
experience one worth seeing and seeing again.
Cited
Benedict, ., & Fry, T.
(1998). The rule of St. Benedict in
English. New York: Vintage Books.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness
meditation in everyday life. New York:
Hyperion.
Vroom, Victor H., & Yetton,
Phillip W. (1973). Leadership and decision-making.
Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh
Press.
Ward, D. (n.d.). Reflections of a
Benedictine canonist. Monastics: Life and
law . Retrieved July 2, 2014, from
http://www.osb.org/aba/law/contents.htm
