CONCLUSIONES

Within the Christian context, leadership definitions have much in common with those mentioned earlier in this thesis; however, there are different nuances such as encapsulated by Sloan (2011):

Leadership is the art and practice of exerting an influence on the behaviour and beliefs of others. Leaders shape and influence people, institutions and events. Leaders and leadership are determined not by the number of followers but by the changes effected over time for the good of God’s world. (p. 8)

Here Sloan (2011) is clearly inferring that not only are leaders measured by their results, but also by the good that they effect. Gant (2007) describes this behaviour that leads to ‘good’: “God revealed to the prophet Micah His requirements of people and His

assessment of ultimate good: ‘He has shown you what is good…to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’” (Micah 6:8) (p. 26). Gant (2007) further notes that this theme is repeated in the New Testament:

Upon reproving the religious leaders of His day, Jesus pointed out that they had meticulously engaged in their religious activities but had ‘neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness’ (Matthew 23:23), justice simply means to do what is right. (p. 27)

The Bible appears to portray leadership as a reciprocal relationship and as a covenant: “a covenant requires that the parties live in a way that fosters the relationship for the long term…Covenantal leadership means caring for the needs of individuals and caring for the needs of the group as a whole” (Cafferky, 2012, p. 391). This ‘caring’ type of leadership is clearly not for the short term, for expediency to meet a budget or a government mandate, but rather for the well-being of all.

In addition, the Bible (Today’s New International Version) gives some very relevant, specific advice to leaders or would-be leaders; for example, in Romans 12:8 Paul speaks of the gifts that God gives mankind, and in regard to leadership, counsels “if it is to lead, do it diligently”. Again, Paul gives really sensible counsel in Romans 12:3: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement”. In Colossians 3:12, 14 he reminds his readers: “therefore clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…….and over all these virtues put on love….” The apostle Peter then continues the advice to leaders in 1 Peter 5: 2-3: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them - not because you must but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock”. These are high standards that the apostle was upholding, particularly when compared with much that is seen in today’s corporate world. However, leaders who take this approach are likely to have a happier workforce.

While the concept of social justice is frequently espoused by governments and corporations, the reality may not match the rhetoric. However, leadership or taking an active role in social justice is mandated in Proverbs 31: 8 and 9 for everyone who purports to be a Christian: “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves...speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Again, the standard of leadership required in scripture is clear, social justice is not an option, but a command.

While there is a lack of research on leadership in CECEC centres there is considerable research on Christian leadership although this is usually within a church context (Stewart, 2008) and sometimes within a business context (Banke, Maldonaldo & Lacey, 2011) rather than in education. Consequently, this foundational section of leadership examines Christian

leadership from a general perspective. Stewart (2008, 301) notes that while the notion of business-based leadership theories being transferred to values-based organisations such as churches, may seem to be a mismatch, many churches are urgently looking towards business practice in order to achieve improvements in organisation and pastoral leadership practice. Therefore, within a church context, while charismatic leadership (Banke et al., 2011) which is closely linked to the leader’s strong, influential personality, is frequently observed, the use of transformational leadership and to a lesser extent, transactional leadership approaches, first introduced by Burns’ seminal work in 1978, are also popular. The transformational leader clearly articulates a desirable vision for the future and individualises support for followers, thus transforming the individual and desirably, the whole organisation. By contrast the transactional leader provides rewards as motivation for the follower to achieve the particular goal the leader wishes to achieve. These rewards may include special benefits, job

promotions, favourable postings or as for many of us, regular financial remuneration.

Alongside these leadership theories, a distinctive theory of leadership in the Christian context is Greenleaf’s seminal concept of ‘Servant Leadership’ (Greenleaf, 1977). Within this theory the leader’s first priority is to serve others; spirituality is an essential component of servant leadership and is based on the model of leadership portrayed by Jesus Christ (Banke et al., 2011). Greenleaf (1977) measured leader effectiveness by criteria such as: “Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” (p 13, 14). Hence, this study also investigates whether the servant leadership model is reflected in the leadership beliefs and practices of Directors/Leaders of CECEC centres. This concept of service within Christian leadership is echoed by Cafferkey (2012) with this comment:

leaders will be fully oriented towards persons in the community while fully

committed to foster the community’s interests. Such leaders will not need to grasp for power but will be willing to serve by sharing power with others, in humility, realising that others have been given gifts that the broader community needs. (p. 391)

It is interesting to note the definition of Christian leadership from the Leadership Centre at Andrews University, a Christian University in the United States: “Christian leadership is a dynamic relational process in which people, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, partner to achieve a common goal - it is serving others by leading and leading others by serving” (Andrews University, 2018). Not only does this quote emphasise the necessity of serving others, it also highlights the essential dependence upon God intrinsic to Christian leadership.

Another leadership model, which has gained acceptance within church contexts, is the leadership capabilities model (Stewart, 2008). In this model leaders need certain capabilities in order to successfully lead an organisation. These include the leader’s ability to analyse and deal with ill-defined, non-routine problems creatively, rather than managing routine problems with routine processes. The leader will need to have effective social and professional

interactions that will guide and maintain the team. Finally, the leader must have a deep personal knowledge of the organisation and his/her own domain (Stewart, 2008).

Clearly there are many differing viewpoints on what constitutes Christian leadership; the comments from practising leaders of CECEC centres in this study will provide data in an as yet un-researched area and provide a depth of understanding as well as useful practical guidelines on how Christian leadership is practised in these centres. An important concept relates to the definition of Christian, and how it is framed within this thesis in particular. Christian or Christianity is almost universally understood to mean adhering to the teachings and counsel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. However, within recent years several other terms have been introduced with subsequent overlap in understanding and interpretation to the extent that clarification is appropriate at this point and these include religiosity,

spirituality, faith, sacredness and so on. Spirituality is most commonly used in an educational and sociological context and refers to a transcendence, something outside oneself (Gibson, 2014, Woods, 2007); it has no particular faith connection and as such therefore, makes no demands upon the person who espouses or advocates for it. Religiosity (van der Duijn Schouten, Graafland & Kaptein, 2014) on the other hand may be associated with a number of faith traditions, not necessarily Christian, and is understood and used in this thesis to focus on the ‘rules and regulations’, the traditions of a particular religious/cultural affiliation. By contrast, Christianity as understood and used in this thesis refers to a faith relationship, Protestant or Catholic, which is linked with and based upon, the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity as used here also has its basis in Christian values such as love, compassion, forgiveness and care, as is explained now.

Predominant amongst Christian teachings and values is love, for this was the core of Jesus’ teachings: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22: 37-39, KJV). Manning and Curtis (2012) comment that: “Whether based on Christian teaching or not, a belief in love is the ethical ideal of millions of people” (p. 111). Beyond the popular, media-

driven concept of love lies this different, unselfish level of caring for another. This unselfish ‘love’ implies relationship and ‘good’ towards others in that relationship.

The concept of ‘loving God’ can seem difficult to understand, particularly for a non- Christian. However, Jesus himself modelled the way to have a relationship with God, by taking time to spend alone with Him in prayer and meditation. Other Bible leaders such as Moses, Samuel, and John also took the time to spend with God. Writing of the concept, particularly in reference to leadership, Morton (2015) explains:

Christian leaders should not be making decisions related to vision, strategy and execution but instead through spiritual practices and spending

prolonged time in personal intimacy with God through which they not only see the world through His eyes but are also able to listen and discern His voice. God will inform Christian leaders accordingly, and they will be able to implement His will faithfully in His church, in His timing and way. (p. 3)

This critically important advice for Christian leaders clearly states the importance of spending time with God in a personal relationship which will provide the guidance they seek. Without doing this, Morton (2015) reminds us, leaders have a natural propensity to rely on their own judgement and expertise and even that of others, rather than listening for God’s guidance. The lives of leaders are incredibly busy. Nevertheless, when they take the time to spend in prayer with God, not only is there a calming, focussing effect but: “Through such prayer God guides the Christian leader to see the world differently. The leader hears God’s still, quiet voice clearly even in the whirlwind of daily activity” (Morton, 2015, p. 17). Personal prayer and Bible study were listed by Morton’s (2015) research participants as indispensable foundations for spiritual intimacy with God. However, it must be realised that this reaching out to God must be authentic, and no amount of prayer and Bible study will lead to a close relationship with God unless the ‘seeking God’ is done genuinely. This involves a humble attitude and a willingness to learn and respond. The Bible frequently mentions seeking God with Jeremiah 29:13 as one of the best-known verses: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Closely parallel to the concept of love is the concept of care, and it is within recent times that this notion is beginning to creep into the vocabulary associated with educational leadership. Louis, Murphy and Smylie (2016) focus on the identified outcomes of caring leadership and a caring environment for students such as a sense of belonging and personal wellbeing, while admitting that the concept in schools is often vague and ambiguous and that

there is no definite consensus on its exact meaning. However, various authors are cited to illuminate the idea, particularly Noddings (2005) as a “way of being…rather than a set of specific behaviours” (p. 313). Louis et al. (2016) go on to identify a set of five core elements of caring: Attentiveness – paying close attention to the recipient of care, which Louis et al. (p. 313) describe as “grounded in empathy”; Motivational displacement – putting the needs of the other ahead of one’s own in a selfless way; Situationality – providing the care in a dynamic, variable context as needed by the other; Mutuality – the role of carer is not fixed, and may be cared for themselves; Authenticity – characterised by genuineness, openness and honesty. Further, these core elements are enabled when located within an environment of trust and continuity (Louis et al., 2016, p. 315).

Also intrinsic to Christian beliefs is that of creation by a loving God. This perspective deeply affects the way that Christians perceive their fellow humans, and in particular, the way that Christian leaders regard those whom they lead. In his book, The Challenges of Christian Leadership (2014), Stott addresses the issue of relationships and comments that “the basis for good relationships is respect, and respect is based on worth” (p. 50). He goes on to explain that looks, money and social status are not the deciding factors for determining worth because “human worth is intrinsic”; and it is this concept that he describes as the differentiating factor between Christian and secular thinking (Stott, 2014). Further, many secular humanists are outstanding in their compassion, but, according to Stott, the basis for Christian beliefs is the worth of humans because of their creation, rather than evolution. Stott also adds: “Christian leaders know that the Lord is the one who trains, nourishes and accompanies them” (2014, p. 63). The link between God and Christian leaders is the motivating factor for the way they perceive their fellow humans and lead them, their worldview.

As a counterpoint to this positive perspective, however, it must be remembered that leadership in almost any field carries additional responsibilities and stress. Stott (2014) described pressures on Christian leaders as “intense and often unrelenting” (p. 19) and in this group he included fatigue, busyness, responsibilities and criticism, issues that most leaders face. He went on to add disappointment and the loneliness that comes with leadership. However, Stott saw discouragement as the likely result which could lead to “loss of vision and enthusiasm” (2014, p. 20) and reminded his readers that in 2 Corinthians 4, because of the discouragements he faced himself, the apostle Paul advised believers “not to lose heart”. Indeed, this is a reality for many in leadership positions who experience physical and mental health issues in the face of discouragement.

It must also be remembered that, as in the section on generic leadership which revealed the ‘darker side’ at times, Christian organisations are not exempt from unchristian behaviour at times. Nunez and Gonzalez (2009) investigated this phenomenon and

commented:

While one might think that churches and religious entities organized with the purpose of disseminating ethical values and principles based on the Bible would be exempt from mistreating employees, no human enterprise is free of workplace harassment-not even organizations that by definition and vocation should manifest more ethical behaviors. (p. 37)

Nunez and Gonzalez’s (2009) research identified many subtle means of bullying which destroyed self-esteem and led to break-downs and resignations. In light of this research it is vital that the leader ‘practices what he or she preaches’ – that staff supervision is committed to equity, consistency, Christian principles of social justice and open, honest communication. Further, that systems ensuring accountability and transparency are in place and are

implemented rigorously at all levels of the organisation.

Within comparatively recent years, a number of publications have started to address Christian Educational Leadership within both the Catholic and Protestant sectors, providing useful perspectives on an expanding field of educational provision. Therefore, moving on from Christian leadership, the focus now moves to exploring the topic of Christian Educational Leadership.