Council for Health and Human Service Ministries

From the President

Photo of Bryan Sickbert In late May, CHHSM President and CEO Bryan Sickbert wrote this column for Leadership Notes, an occasional communique to people who have generously served in and supported the ministries of the United Church of Christ.

Leadership certainly seems to be the watchword of the day for our nation and for the United Church of Christ. Within the next 18 months both the USA and the UCC face the challenge of choosing new leaders. It is an important time to consider the true nature of leadership. I spend a lot of time contemplating this question with current and emerging leaders in our UCC Health and Human Service Ministries.

It is our tendency in the politics of the nation and the church to reduce leadership to a question of preferred ideology. We decide our positions on the presenting issues of the day and choose leaders who presumably side with the will of the majority. This is a short-term and shallow take on leadership. The issues and will of the majority often change before the oath of office or installation service can even occur.

When I was in business school I had a mentor who was president of a major medical center. Over time, I discovered that Jerry and I resided at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum on most issues. Nevertheless, I developed tremendous respect for Jerry as a leader because of his integrity and passion for the mission of the institution and deep care and regard for its employees and those in its care. Jerry brought an expansive vision of health and wholeness not just for our patients, but for the whole community...yes even the whole world. While we often disagreed, Jerry could move my spirit and inspire me to believe in and pursue the vision.

The late Catholic theologian and poet, John O'Donohue, suggests that leadership has little to do with positions on issues or political facility. For O'Donohue, leadership is rooted in the imagination. A true leader is a public "seeker"...a person who is always in lively conversation with the depths of human presence rooted in experience, not platitudes. A true leader is one who touches the foundations of what we know to be true, and awakens us to glimpses of the new creation in our everyday experience.

In next 18 months I will not be looking for leaders who take my side. I will be longing and looking for leaders who stir my soul and who can, through their integrity, compassion and spontaneity, stretch our nation and our church to live beyond what we can see into the vision of the new creation.

Bryan W. Sickbert
President/CEO

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