Mother Teresa, CEO: Not Just for Business Leaders

Last updated on: July 11, 2011 at 4:05 pm by angelicanohemiquinonez

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Mother Teresa, CEO: Not Just for Business Leaders 2011-07-11T16:05:59-06:00 angelicanohemiquinonez

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Along with that discipline comes joy. Joy arises from discipline. Mother Teresa found joy in her work and in her daily schedule and that same joy brought joy and motivation to those around her. As Bose and Faust write, “The discipline of joy is the regular practice of enjoying what we love, with those we love. It’s simplest form is a smile.” (69).

In reading this Chapter, I thought about this principle at work in my former corporate life. Discipline yielded the best results when it came to projects or new business proposals. But, when I found joy in my work I became even more disciplined in how I approached the work. Working on New Media proposals for pro bono clients, for example, energized me in a way that other projects didn’t and I saw that my enthusiasm for my work rubbed off on my team and on my clients. Outside of the corporate world, I think this principle is applicable to those of us working in ministry and education.

I strongly believe that those who are led reflect the attitude of their leaders. Discipline shows dedication, consistency, concern, care, and love. Love is vital to ministry and to the field of education. If we are willing to discipline ourselves in terms of how we take on our work then we will better serve others and produce results that are influenced by our own discipline and joy in the journey. Joy is infectious and it has a place in every line of work. But, as Bose and Faust remind us, “To find joy consistently is itself a practice, the discipline of joy” (70).

Communicate in a Language People Understand

Bose recounts how Mother Teresa had a distinct way of communicating with people. She may not have spoken the same languages as many of the visitors that came to see her, but she still had a way of speaking to them. She listened. But, Mother Teresa did more than just listen. Mother Teresa looked you in the eye whether you were a high-ranking politician, a powerful CEO, one of her volunteers, or one of the poor in Calcutta. She knew how to communicate with anyone and that is part of what made her an effective and charismatic leader. And, part of that skill involved observation:

To her, communication was often more about listening and observing than about speaking. By first listening with kind attention and a genuine desire to understand, instead of an urgent need to push her message, she could learn her listeners’ true language from words, tone of voice, gestures, breathing, cadence, body language, and eye contact. (78)

It is key for anyone to remember that one of the goals of communication is understanding. In my life, I’ve had to learn how to communicate with different audiences by first understanding their needs and then understanding how I can meet those needs. The way I lectured my high school students this past Spring was not the same way I train CEO’s, Executives, and Parish leaders in the use of New Media tools. Talking about literature and religion (the subjects I teach) to my students is not nearly the same way I talk about those two subjects with my former professors, fellow teachers, or others well-versed in those subjects. I may touch upon the same topics, but the way I communicate is different.

In order to be an effective communicator, I have learned to switch to using—what Bose and Faust call—“the language of others.” In ministry, I call this “meeting people where they are at.” Communicating with others is not about pressing one’s agenda, using complicated language, or making others feel uncomfortable. And, communicating with others is as much about listening as it is about anything else. When we listen, we understand and when we understand we can respond. If we do this well, we can build meaningful relationships in the workplace, at home, in the classroom, in our Church communities, and beyond.

Mother Teresa’s Wisdom for all of Us

Bravo to Bose and Faust for writing a book that respectfully presents the wisdom of Mother Teresa for a new audience. For those of us who are Catholic, Mother Teresa embodied the light and love of Christ in the world. She is a role model of love and, even in her doubt, a role model of faith. Bose and Faust mention the doubt that accompanied Mother Teresa in her later years. So much has been made of that over the past few years. For many of us, that doubt reminds us that even saints share in moments of solitude and despair. What is important to remember is that, even in that doubt, Mother Teresa was compelled to action. With discipline and joy she kept on doing what she set out to do—for the love of humanity and for the love of God.

Angelica N. Quinonez holds a B.A. in English from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in Theology from the University of San Francisco. She is a 28-year-old San Franciscan, aspiring writer, New Media specialist, PR Consultant and educator. She blogs over at Through A Glass Onion. You can find her on Twitter @aquinonez.

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