Pope Francis recently visited New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. As head of the Catholic Church, the pope leads an estimated population of 1.2 billion people in the Catholic faith, according to the Vatican. The last pope to visit the United States was Pope John Paul II, who visited in 1999, some 16 years ago.
By most accounts Pope Francis has captured the hearts and minds of many beyond the boundaries of Catholic faith and is viewed as a leader across boundaries on issues of contemporary challenges to mankind globally. How does such a leader manage to effectively cross boundaries of such a diverse global world and what lessons can be learned for leaders?
I have compiled four lessons that I learned from his visit:
- Humility—Pope Francis demonstrated his humility consistently, from being driven in a compact and simple FIAT, to the humble papal residence he occupies. Leaders would do well with this trait as it embodies them as approachable and one of the team.
- Compassion—The lesson of tending to those who need compassion and understanding as the Pope embraced those afflicted with ailments and who were incarcerated among others. Leaders must value compassion and empathy as those who they lead no doubt value these traits and will be inspired beyond imaginable results.
- Vision—As leader of the global Catholic faith, Pope Francis articulates a clear vision for where the Catholic faith must head. Leaders must be able to clearly articulate a vision that is easily understood and inspires others.
- Partnerships—The Pope’s journeys have led him to forge relationships wherever possible working toward common goals and shared visions. Leaders are often wise to break down silos and barriers to seek partnerships that build synergy and achieve greater results.
We often fall into the trap of seeing technical competence as the most desirable leadership trait. However, wise leaders surround themselves with technical excellence in their people, but lead with humanistic traits that inspire people to achieve great results.
