Leadership and Education

16Nov2022: Leadership and Education – Keynote address: Principals of Jesuits School in South Zone (South Asia) @ Dhyana Ashram

Leadership and Education

As educators, formators, and administers we need to ask ourselves:

What is education, in general?;

What for is Catholic education?; and

What is the outcome of Jesuit education?

These couple of days we could deliberate on these questions and first find the interconnectivity and then chart out what needs to be done.

Education, in general, is to provide an opportunity for acquiring academic knowledge and life skills that will, in turn, enable the educated to develop their full potential and become successful members of society.[1] Catholic education focuses on moral and ethical values, especially the value of service to others, developing integrity, compassion and sensitivity[2] in order to build unity and harmony in the society. Our students are asked to imitate Jesus in order to imbibe the same mindset as of Jesus (Phil 2:5). Jesuit education is transformational[3] – The education given is not for the individual but to the society so that Jesuit educated would transform the society as leaders of social change. They would combine religion, society, and culture and transcend any barrier to bring harmony and unity. For them faith is the lever that turns the world of justice for the better. 

Our students get intellectual insights from our syllabi; they imbibe emotional maturity from our teachers who are our collaborators and partners in mission through their mentoring and accompaniment; and they receive our institutions the value system to live for others. And when they leave the portals of our institutions they realize that they are not the finished products but they are still in the making – becoming more and more mature and enlightened to do their best for the least in order to enrich the society they are going to live in. Our commitment today is, as Pope Francis recently said, to bring the youth away from the throw away culture and lead them into a culture of care. The youth should be formed to take life in perspective: They should realize that a child on the ground sees a plane flying overhead and dreams of flying high in the sky. But a pilot on the plane looks down and longs to be back home to relax and rest – The understanding of the world is relative. Our students should be taught to live in the present, though they could dream of the future.

Impulse:

One could get the insight and impulse from the prayer of Solomon (1 Kg 3:9). Solomon asks of God who appeared to him:

  1. Discerning mind;
  2. Understanding heart;
  3. To do the right thing;
  4. In governing the people.

Our education aims at critical thinking (that is, inspired head), in perspective (that is, accommodative heart), for the mission (that is, empowered hand), in serving the people (that is, energized leg to accompany the people).

The essence of Jesuit Education, as we glean from the address of Fr Peter Hans Kolvenbach on 07th June 1989 in the USA, i. Comprehensive formation of mind and heart and hand; ii. World-affirming with universal outlook for moulding global leaders; iii. Social responsibility with altruism; and iv. promotion of justice, etc. And this is realized in practice through multi-disciplinary and value-based research and social analysis.

This sets the tone for the perspective of Jesuit Education: In the light of UAP, we need to accompany the young in the creation of a hope-filled future. Today’s youth are in the state of confusion and uncertainty, especially after going through the ordeal of the covid-19 pandemic. They are floating in their own world flooded with media and their lives are getting disoriented due to the onslaught of drug and substance abuse as well as alcohol.  They are like the reed being swayed in a world of too much push and pull but no strong anchor to rely on for stability and meaning in life.  Perhaps inner conviction and ethical values would the straw they could hold on and our accompaniment would add to their confidence. In addition, promoting critical thinking and emotional understanding of the other from his/her perspective would pave the way for transforming action in creating a world of equality and equity.

Education is the meeting point of cultures and values. Today, one’s ambition for oneself and one’s obligation for others might be on the crossroads. Education is not simply for the upward mobility of one but it should form servant leaders. Our students should not just look for means in life but meaning in life. Of course, education might prepare our youth for employment but it should also facilitate development of social and religious harmony and society upbuilding. The annual drama became part of curriculum in Jesuit schools, which was used as a powerful medium for social teaching.

Jesuit Education:

In this context, we should be clear about Jesuit education. The basic assumptions of Jesuit education are:

  1. Each one is a potential leader and we have to fathom each one’s hidden talent in order to bring out the leadership in them;
  2.  Each one is unique and has something beautiful to offer to the society;
  3. All the same, our focus is empowerment of the marginalized and the discriminated and the discarded in the society;
  4. The key to this empowerment is education; and
  5. Our readiness to go where there is greater need. That is why for the Jesuits Road is home. St Ignatius in specifying various types of houses names, namely, formation house, institutions, professed houses, house for the elderly, and he indicates road as one of the houses.

A Jesuit is one who keeps one leg firm in what he does at present and keeps another leg lifted ready to launch upon any mission that would be more needed. Initially education was one of the missions of the Jesuits and but soon it became the primary mission. And today we are convinced that education is the key to enlighten and empower people, especially our option people.

The evolution of Jesuit education is interesting to observe:

  1. Initially it was care of soul (CN 223/1). So the concentration was on spiritual ministries such as preaching, teaching catechism. Then, the physical needs came up – So the Jesuits devoted themselves in taking care of the sick in the hospitals and begging food and money for the imprisoned;
  2.  As the cyclone of reformation was ravaging the Church, Ignatius felt that a handful of well educated group might not be able to defend the Church and hence he realized that people should think for themselves. That is why schools and colleges were founded. St Paul’s College was founded in Goa around 1542. Though it was first institution meant to prepare students for priesthood, soon basic education in reading, writing, and arithmetic were offered mostly in vernacular. It housed the first printing press in India, having published the first books in 1556.[4]  The school in Messina (Sicily) founded in 1548 stands out as the first school of the Jesuits in Europe. Within a decade, around 30 universities came up in Europe. Soon they became schools for the elite.
  3. Soon political necessity cropped up: During the colonialization in South America the Jesuits were against the slave trade arguing that the slaves are also full human beings, while even the Catholic theologians wanted to think that they were only sub-human beings. To prove their point, the Jesuits founded over 30 Reductions or Jesuit Republics from 1610 onwarads in South America and proved that the slaves could do as good as anyone if we could create a milieu for them and train them well. This became one of the reasons for the suppression of the society in 1773.
  4. Later, they opened the vistas to economic development in uplifting and empowering the suppressed wherever they took up their missions. In all their initiatives they used education as an instrument. Archimedes said: “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” For our forefathers, education was the lever and the people they served were the fulcrum and thus, they could transform the world for the better.
  5. Always, in the spirit of St Ignatius, the Jesuits had their reviews and previews. From the past experience gained, and looking forward to realize their future dreams, they work in the present. When Ignatius founded the Roman College in 1552 and announced ‘Education Gratis’, he wanted the poor to be educated. But the Jesuits became the best pedagogues and their schools and colleges gained currency and soon their institutions were occupied with the rich and the affluent. It took nearly 400 years to review and get back to the original spirit of preferential option for the poor and the marginalized – It was in 32nd GC in 1970s. And now  we are finding our way to march with the marginalized and it is for this purpose we are gathered here to review what we wanted to do and to reflect on what we have done and to plan on what we need to do. Reading the signs of times, we need to be men of innovation and leadership to accompany our students and people we serve.

The uniqueness of Jesuit Education, as we all know, is to form our students as men and women for/with others (in need). Jesuit education is interactive and experiential – It is not in covering or uncovering the syllabi but making them learn by doing – through case studies, analysis of data about people and world situation, discussion in the class room etc. In this sense, our education becomes flexible and adaptable. We need to know and realize that our present system of education is, as Paulo Freire would put it, a ‘banking model’. Just like we put in money in the bank and when needed we draw money as per our need, we putting in information into the heads of students in the name of teaching, assuming that the students come in with empty heads. And we draw the dividend through periodic exams and our question paper seems to the academic ATM card. Instead, let us become aware that our students come with experience, positive as well as not-so positive. In general they come in with low self-esteem and self-confidence, especially our target people. We need to understand their background before we begin to mould them for the society and for their future. This is how we understand what Ignatius said: Enter through their door and bring them through our door.

It is exactly for this purpose, the Jesuit education has been all along liberal arts and science. We need to identify the hidden talents of students and help them develop them. Some of our average students, if encouraged and accompanied effectively, can become genius persons later. As Dr Abdul Kalam would say, “The best brains of the nation may be found on the last benches of the classroom.” It is up to us to identify them and nurture their talents. You may remember that Albert Einstein was a school dropout. But later in six months in 1905 he wrote five papers that changed the face of the world. These papers are: a. Photoelectric effect; b. Molecular dimension; c. Brownian Movement; d. Theory of Relativity; and e. Mass-Energy equation: E = mc2. And when he wrote these papers he was just a clerk in the patent office in Bern in the Switzerland. And you could also remember that his doctoral dissertation was first rejected. When he was denied the Nobel Prize for his Theory of Relativity, he was not dejected. Later he was given the Nobel Prize for his theory of Photoelectric Effect on condition that he should not speak on Relativity in his acceptance speech. We might have such students in our classes and schools – We need to identify them and groom them and shape them.

We are still on the road of Jesuit evolution of education – We began with ‘care of soul’ to ‘whole person’ and then moved on to ‘social justice’ and now we are in the phase of triple reconciliation as spelled out in 36 GC. Our goal is the same but our means might be different. We might be different sparks in origin but eventually we become the same fire in our service to the society at large.

Goal of Jesuit Education:

The goal of Jesuit education is critical thinking and leadership formation. They could realize and live out the Ubuntu principle of Africa, that is, ‘I am from what we are’. From here our students become agents of change to say and live out: ‘I am, so the society should be.’ As Jesuits, we have been moving from GC 35 saying ‘Faith that does justice’ to GC 36 of reconciliation with God, people, and nature. Our students are going to be the architects of the future society. We need to work on their aptitude (through academic qualification and skill formation) and on their attitude (of their emotional maturity). A combination of aptitude and attitude, would take them to greater altitude. So our educational formula is:

Aptitude + Attitude = Altitude.

As teachers and administrators we need to inspire them on ‘why’ they should live in this world of complexities. Then, they would find out for themselves ‘how’ to live. Based on the philosophy of Nietzsche who said: ‘He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how’. This inspired Frankl Viktor to survive three concentration camps because he had a purpose to live as he has indicated in his best seller Man’s Search for Meaning in Life (2004). This resilience is something we need to impart to our students. After the pandemic they seem to have lost their direction in life. They have become vulnerable to many things: Their concentration has weakened, drugs and alcohol have made inroad in their lives, many have suffered sexual abuse at home and in the neighbourhood, and above all they are becoming unruly and impatient and at times even violent. We need to address this situation. Then we could say with Jesus: I have not lost a single one of those entrusted to me (Jn 18:9) in creating a society of equity and harmony.

The outcome of Jesuit education is entrepreneurship. Our education, instead of turning out job seekers, should prepare them as job creators. As entrepreneurship, their initial interest is their interest in their studies now and later in whatever work or job they do. And the sustaining energy is their cumulative experience, especially a spirit of perseverance amidst challenge. Ultimately we instil and promote in them the servant leadership as they own their collective responsibility for the good of the world at large.

Education for Leadership:

Education can turn them either as managers or leaders. A manager gets things done but a leader inspires and accompanies his co-workers sharing their successes and failures. One of the effective type of leadership is Tea-Bag Leadership. We could learn a few lessons from the teabag how to be an inspiring and effective leader:[5]

TeabagLeadership
What counts is what’s inside the teabag (not the teabag as such)What matters is not the title but attitude  
The real flavor is got when the teabag gets into hot water  One should be able to face challenges – One needs to give oneself a chance to test the ground reality
The teabag must be porous (for hot water to get in and out to brew tea)  Immersion in mission is essential – One should allow new breeze to come in for the better
The teabag works, never mind where it is in the cup (top, middle, or bottom)What is important is not the position/rank in the team but teamwork at all levels
Sometimes one teabag is just not enough (if you desire stronger tea)There would be need for additional help in leadership – It’s sharing responsibility
Sometimes you need to add milk and sugar to make it tastier  You might need to add knowledge and support from your side and allow support from others
Someone else is holding the string always (to take the teabag when done)Someone is there to mentor, direct, and lead you (For the Religious: Provincial/Superior)
It is always how good the tea is, not the teabagGood works speak louder than your words  
Eventually teabag needs to make way and get outNo leader can be effective without a team – One needs to prepare second rank leaders
A refreshing cup of tea needs time to brew  Forming leadership is not one day’s work – It takes time to mature and to yield fruit

The watch words of Jesuit education as well as administration are: cura personalis, cura apostolica, and cura communis. Care of the person implies that each one is unique and we need to understand him/her from his/her perspective. We need to understand the world of the other from his/her view or stand point. From there begins our challenge or privilege to make them see the invisible, to hear the inaudible, and to do the impossible in and for the society. Cura apostolica expects that we should be men of vision with mission clarity. And Cura communis brings in commitment to building and serving the community of learners, the local/neighbourhood as well as global community. This in turn implies that realistic and timebound plan for development and expansion of mission we are engaged in needs to be evolved and executed.  In our mission we are often faced with the dilemma whether to take up important matters or to attend to urgent matters. We need to work on important matters as it needs plan and preparation of personnel and financial sustainability etc.

Leadership is essentially centered on animation. We need to follow Pareto Principle of 80:20 Rule of 1897. The Jesuit Constitutions is 80% on formation and about 20% on administration. The understanding is if one is formed well he could swim across any current without sinking. Motivation and formation given in our academic atmosphere would make them face any challenge with courage in themselves and with confidence with the team. We teach them that clear sky will not form an excellent pilot; a calm sea would not groom an effective sailor; and a smooth road will not turn out a confident driver. The mountain region of Dewa Sanzan in northern Japan is the sacred ground for the Yamabushi for more than thousand years. The watchword for the training is: Uketamo, meaning ‘I accept’. Whatever happens in life I accept with an open heart – I grow in patience and openness  but at the same time I evolve insight to change what needs to be changed. We also need to tell our students, as Abraham Lincoln wrote to the teacher of his son: “Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader… Teach him to listen to everyone, but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.”[6]

We offer motivation for achievements to our students and at the same time we put forth that team work is necessary – This we do through promoting sports and games as well as cultural programs. Teamwork brings in Ignatian discernment in common. The outcome of this would be leadership based on effective decision making and relationship building. The leadership of Jesus is based on inner strength of vision, ability to take a decision based on discernment in common, and carrying out work through relationship and team building. We become the live model to our students – We live out our conviction and they learn from our life-lessons.

Formation for Leadership:

The Jesuit education is at the crossroads as we are working on the counter culture in the world we live in. Jesuit education should aim at creating credible leaders who can meaningfully and effectively respond to the modern changes. There seems to be a lacuna in education today due to multiple factors which do not convince and touch the minds and hearts of students, who come in just to earn a degree and get settle down nicely. Resentment is seen in the attitude of some of the affluent students when we talk about the responsibility of taking care of the people at the margins of the society, while some others consider tokenism as sufficient work done by the privileged classes. We need to make sure that our education gives them the experience of understanding the poor and the oppressed. Thus, Jesuit education needs to offer a road map for a new world by building a bridge between rigorous academics and social concern and needs.[7]

Formation for Leadership in an Ignatian Way of Proceeding. Leadership in an Ignatian way of proceeding encompasses all the skills with the capacity for discernment based on inner freedom with oneself and with others, without prejudice nor bias, centered in values and purposes oriented towards greater good, and the ability to make choices for the benefit of students, educators, alumni, and other stakeholders. Jesuit education would address the increasing needs and opportunities of the times. Leadership for transformation and innovation requires prophetic imagination and the capacity to envision a hopeful future different from the current reality; such imagination is especially characteristics of leaders informed by Ignatian spirituality, and the commitment to the mission of justice, healing, and reconciliation. In addition, GC 35, Decree 5 specifies management skills such as financial administration, human resources, planning, conflict resolution, confrontation, discernment in common, crisis management, media and public relationships, experiential learning etc to gain mastery of leadership.[8] Our educational system should ultimately usher in leadership quality in our students. It is not what one knows, but what one does with what one knows is all that matters in life and society.

Model for Leadership:

We have for our model Jesus who showed us the way. His life was a transformational journey shaping up his disciples in leadership areas. His mission could be understood under four stages:

  1. Self-awareness: He was aware of himself, his milieu, his mission (Mt 3:13 – 4:11);
  2. One-on-One influence: He would have encountered and interacted with his followers one by one before choosing his 12 disciples (Mt 4:18-24);
  3. The disciples so chosen would be attached and committed to Jesus, but Jesus wanted to build teams – He sent them out two by two so that they could start understanding each other and work together (Mt 10:5-10); and
  4. He brought in finally the organizational upbuilding. Before He left them, He entrusted the entire world for their mission (Mt 28:19-20). The end effect is the self-confidence of the disciples who went all over the world proclaiming the good news of Jesus and bore witness to what they preached.[9]

And the leadership has to work on three-step formula, namely, Mapping, Making, and Meshing:

  1. Mapping is working on strategies and planning in education with timeline;
  2. Making is the actual work in progress which needs constant and periodic review; and
  3. Meshing is ongoing formation with study and skill development bringing in networking (intra, inter, and trans – within an institution, with other institutions in the region or nation, and with other institutions in the globe). This networking starts with oneself and then with others.

Conclusion:

In Ignatian perspective, education is leadership formation which brings in critical thinking energizing one to swim against the current of media fed, media led, and media controlled world. It is also constant efforts to imbibe socially relevant, meaningful and useful ethical values as the principle and fundament of wholistic formation culminating in social transformation. Jesuit education is a leaven of transformation based on servant leadership and so service is the outcome of Jesuit education.

The outcome of Jesuit education culminates in social leadership which is bridge-building with the ability to tackle smoothly any conflict situation; with vision and direction bolstered with strategic plan (Plan A and Plan B); reengineering people thereby effecting damage control and at the same time bringing in hope. This leader, according to St Ignatius, would be a person of triple vision:

  1. Life-Vision with creativity (SpEx 23);
  2. Work-Vision of magis to do ever more and ever better (SpEx 91ff); and
  3. Love-Vision of seeing God at work for the individual in nature and hence the individual has the impulse to work for the needy (SpEx 230).

This is what St Ignatius says, ‘Love ought to show itself in deeds over and above words’ (SpEx 230).

Francis P Xavier SJ

16Nov2022

[1] https://www.allisonacademy.com/parents/child-development/what-is-the-purpose-of-education/#:~:text=The%20main%20purpose%20of%20education%20is%20to%20provide%20the%20opportunity,become%20successful%20members%20of%20society.

[2] https://www.starcatholic.ab.ca/faith/why-choose-catholic-education#:~:text=Faith%2Dpermeated%20curriculum%20develops%20the,character%20and%20encourages%20academic%20success.

[3] https://www.xavier.edu/jesuit-education/index

[4] https://brill.com/display/book/9789004391123/BP000006.xml

[5] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-lessons-learned-from-tea-bag-rajeshkumar-pandiarajan, In: F.P. Xavier, Seeing Everything New, ATC, Bengaluru, 2022, pp.265f.

[6] https://englishbookgeorgia.com/blogebg/a-letter-from-abraham-lincoln-to-his-sons-teacher/

[7] https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/XJM-07-2021-0202/full/html

[8] https: iaju.org – Formation for Leadership in an Ignatian way of Proceeding (Deusto University, Bilbao, Spain – 9-12Jul2018) – In: https://www.google.com/search?q=Jesuit+education+and+leadership&oq=Jesuit+education+and+leadership&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l4j33i22i29i30.7872j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[9] K. Blanchard and P. Hodges, Lead like Jesus, Dorling Kindersley, Delhi, 2006, In: F.P. Xavier, Seeing Everything New, ATC, Bengaluru, 2022, p.264.