The disease of existential schizophrenia. This is the disease of those who live a double life, the fruit of that hypocrisy typical of the mediocre and of a progressive emotional emptiness which no [accomplishment or] title can fill. It is a disease which often strikes those who are no longer directly in touch with customers and…
Are you vaccinated against the disease of rivalry and vain glory?
The disease of rivalry and vainglory. When appearances, our perks, and our titles become the primary object in life, we forget our fundamental duty as leaders—to “do nothing from selfishness or conceit but in humility count others better than ourselves.” [As leaders, we must] look not only to [our] own interests, but also to the interests…
Are you vaccinated against the leadership Alzheimer’s disease?
There is also a sort of “leadership Alzheimer’s disease.” It consists in losing the memory of those who nurtured, mentored and supported us in our own journeys. We see this in those who have lost the memory of their encounters with the great leaders who inspired them; in those who are completely caught up in the…
Are you vaccinated against the disease of poor coordination?
The disease of poor coordination. Once leaders lose a sense of community among themselves, the body loses its harmonious functioning and its equilibrium; it then becomes an orchestra that produces noise: its members do not work together and lose the spirit of camaraderie and teamwork. When the foot says to the arm: ‘I don’t need you,’ or…
Are you vaccinated against the disease of excessive planning and of functionalism?
The disease of excessive planning and of functionalism. When a leader plans everything down to the last detail and believes that with perfect planning things will fall into place, he or she becomes an accountant or an office manager. Things need to be prepared well, but without ever falling into the temptation of trying to eliminate…
Are you vaccinated against the disease of mental and emotional “petrification”?
Then there is the disease of mental and [emotional] “petrification.” It is found in leaders who have a heart of stone, the “stiff-necked;” in those who in the course of time lose their interior serenity, alertness, and daring, and hide under a pile of papers, turning into paper pushers and not men and women of compassion.…
Are you vaccinated against the ‘disease’ of excessive busyness?
Another disease is excessive busyness. It is found in those who immerse themselves in work and inevitably neglect to “rest a while.” Neglecting needed rest leads to stress and agitation. A time of rest, for those who have completed their work, is necessary, obligatory and should be taken seriously: by spending time with one’s family and…
Are you vaccinated against the disease of thinking you are immortal, immune, or downright indispensable?
The disease of thinking we are immortal, immune, or downright indispensable, [and therefore] neglecting the need for regular check-ups. A leadership team which is not self-critical, which does not keep up with things, which does not seek to be more fit, is a sick body. A simple visit to the cemetery might help us see the…
Are you vaccinated against the 15 main ‘leadership diseases’ according to Pope Francis?
The sun was up and the day was hot. It was early in the morning and while the Nile showered us with its magnificent opulence, it did very little to reduce the heat that had started to flow from every stone in Kom Ombo. As I walked into the temple dedicated to two enemy gods…
Embrace your stress… actually LOVE IT
EMBRACE YOUR STRESS? Really? You know what, don’t just embrace it, LOVE IT! Have I gone crazy, perhaps, but not really. Let’s think it through. You want to get a new job, you are invited to an interview, you did your homework, you are ready, excited, and you are stressed. You hope you were not,…