Ever since Pope John Paul II’s death, innumerable experts from the fields of religion, academia, and politics have weighed in on what he meant to their field. His unifying presence within the Church and his service as a moral and spiritual leader for Poland will be remembered for centuries to come.
Here are a few leadership lessons we can learn from Pope John Paul II:
#1 Be your authentic self – In his 18 years as Pope, he led by example. Through hard work and prayer he made it his mission to show that Catholics could be leaders of society outside the church while still being faithful Catholics. He also preached individualism, teaching that every person was important regardless of their faith or station in life. He wanted everyone to be their authentic selves, never allowing people to be trapped in a role or identity because it was expected of them. This led to some controversies and false accusations of abuse against him, but he never let the attacks on his character affect him or his actions. As he wrote in one letter, “how can I remain faithful if I do not keep myself faithful?” Pope John Paul II has become a model for me personally because he always raised the bar higher with every passing year.
#2 Quality over quantity – The man who became Pope was born Karol Wojtyla of Wadowice. He would later go by the name John Paul II after being elevated to the papacy. It was his decision to take the name of the great reformer Pope John XXIII that would define his papacy. Just like John XXIII, he used his position to bring about change and make sweeping reforms to modernize the Church through new appointments and the introduction of new technologies. His mantra for success was quality over quantity when it came to new initiatives, and this same principle applies to leadership in any field.
#3 Love is a greater force than hate or fear – This has been one of my favorite quotes by Pope John Paul II because it represents his emphasis on love above all else. He dedicated his life to using his platform as the Pope to spread a message of peace and love in an increasingly violent world. He had a remarkable knack for reaching out to people who suffered from discrimination or hatred, even during the darkest moments of human history. His favorite cause was bringing together Catholics and Jews and he also worked tirelessly for justice around the world.
#4 Have your own vision – As Pope, John Paul II was very active in shaping Catholic doctrine over his two papal terms. One of his most influential ideas was that Church leaders needed to have a more open dialogue with scientists and modern thinkers because their contributions could be helpful in creating a better world. This may have also been a reaction to his negative experience with communism when he was younger. John Paul II had a good understanding of his immediate surroundings and he was keenly aware that the world was changing rapidly. He responded by having the Church embrace these changes and continue to be relevant in guiding people about their behavior and beliefs.
#5 Be sensitive to history – Like many great leaders, John Paul II has become an inspirational figure for people from all cultures and backgrounds. Ireland, Germany, Poland and the United States were just some of the countries that benefited from his life’s work as a priest, bishop and pope.
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