RWL #237 - “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”

from the newsletter:

I came across this quote that is (almost certainly apocryphally) attributed to St. Francis: “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” This is perhaps the best leadership advice I can think of. You have to replace “Gospel” with your organization’s mission, but otherwise, it’s perfect (unless your mission is to preach the Gospel, in which case no substitutions are necessary!). We used to attend a church in Texas that used the phrase, “Be the church”, to mean let your actions speak as much as your words. In reality, actions speak much more loudly than words, especially when the words and the actions aren’t aligned. A useful, simple variation on this phrase would be, “Preach leadership at all times. Use words if necessary.” 

I see mentorship as a key function of leadership. Mentorship, especially in coaching mode, often requires words. While a good mentor acts as an exemplar, it is often necessary for the mentor to explain what s/he is doing to the protégé. It is often necessary to “use words” when pointing out to a protégé where the protégé is going wrong. But the words and deeds have to line up, as I said above. This is what makes this Franciscan-spirited quote so useful. There is a fundamental truth there, even if the Saint himself did not say this.

the rest is here: https://markbonica.substack.com/p/rwl-237