Pope Francis’s address to leaders was aimed at making them lead not from a position of ego but a position of service. Their focus should be to make the lives of others better and not just to fulfill their agendas. However, many people in leadership positions pursue their selfish interests at the expense of the followers’ needs. They often forget that their influence comes from the loyalty of their subordinates and not the titles of their positions. Leaders have the unique power of directing, shaping, and focusing on the potential of his or her followers towards the attainment of specific results. While doing so, they should act in the best interest of the subordinates.
In organizational settings, followers are at the mercy of the decisions that managers make. The situation is worse in companies that have adopted horizontal hierarchies, where employees at various leadership positions rarely interact, and information sharing is limited. Even in such settings, it is important to consider the needs of the followers when decisions are being made. For instance, the scheduling process should be done in line with the interests of the employees to have a good work-life balance. Consequently, the reward system of the company should follow merit for the employee to benefit from it and to encourage improved performance by the employees. Pope Francis wanted the leaders to understand that they should treat people the same way they would have wanted to be treated if they were in the position of the subordinates. Therefore, managers should give employees reasonable workloads or performance expectations. In case an employee is in the wrong, the leader should ensure that he or she is not harsh on the employee but can make them understand the importance of adherence to the set procedures and regulations in the company.
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The leader should lead his subordinates from a place of humble privilege and not from the position of perceived right. The leader needs to earn respect from those he leads. For instance, being promoted to a particular job title does not infer automatic respect because the leader has to earn it through treating the followers and subordinates well. Loyalty, respect, and humility from both leaders and followers are essential in the establishment of good working environments. Humility requires the leader to subdue his or her ego, learn from others, and pursue the common goal of the organization while establishing formidable relationships with other employees. The leader should not only admit his or her mistakes but also should go a step further and ask what he/she could have done better. To achieve this, most leaders tend to stand with what their constituents want, even in Congress. Most of the leaders will host a meeting with the people and use their views in making decisions decision, especially when it comes to passing a bill. Public participation has always been a way used by most leaders to get the views of the people in line with the ‘golden rule.’
Most leaders have gratitude in the role that they are in and appreciate being placed in a position to lead others. The guidance from the golden rule means the leaders consider it an honor by sharing their gratitude with the people they lead through the sacrifices that they make. Gratitude enables leaders to appreciate those who have elected them by treating each person with respect. Treating people with respect means understanding their needs and interests and ensuring you put them first before your own. The leader has to provide service by putting others first when defining how one leads and fulfilling the promises of the role one has. This extends to include the championing of their rights and listening to their concerns making decisions or taking actions that have long terms effects on the followers. An ideal leader often shelves all his/her ambitions and focuses on satisfying the needs of the followers by empowering them.
