Remote Leadership

One of the central concerns of the Palamas Institute is fostering biblical sound and effective leaderships skills in the Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, many leaders in the Church have adopted a "remote leadership" style. Writing for the online edition of Business Standard Shyamal Majumdar describes a remote style of leadership as one that has "no tolerance for dissent or even argument." Rather, the remote leader is one "who like to be surrounded with only yes men and women and who have little contact with the rank and file."

A remote or autocratic leadership style, whether in business or in the Church, will certainly get results. But theologically such a style it seems to me runs counter to a more collaborative style of leadership that appreciates the diversity of gifts in the Body of Christ. In addition, a collobrative style more accurately reflects the relationship of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity.)

Practically, Majumdar points out "that purely autocratic leaders ultimately become bottlenecks because people learn that the best survival skill is to ask the boss first before making a decision. Peole learn to wait for directives from the boss, or worse, they become terrified about making the wrong decision." This I would suggest is the problem that we are facing in all dimensions of the Church life. If we don't exactly see bottlenecks, there is a great deal on inaction and division on not only the national and diocesan levels, but also on the local levels, but in our parishes and in our inability to establish viable trans-parochial and trans-jurisdictional ministries.

In any event, Majumdar's article is worth reading. To read his article click here: Opinion & Analysis.

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

Print this post