Grit and grace, what leaders need in turbulent times

Courage, magnanimity, and humility.

These, according to a leadership studies expert, are the three key traits of a good leader—someone who balances grit and grace when taking charge, even in the rockiest of situations.

“Grit and grace sound as if they are opposites, since one speaks of toughness and other gentleness, but I think they are not opposites but mutually reinforcing, complementary, interdependent, even integrated. Grit helps you receive grace. You can develop grit if you have grace. Your grace helps you to find your passion, your desire, your grit,” said Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, who spoke about “Exercising Leadership in Turbulent Times” at the first assembly on leadership organized by newly formed group, Philippine Leadership Society (Phil-Leads).

“In [these] turbulent times, leadership needs Courage, [or] the capacity to endure difficulties and trials and to persevere in faith… and magnanimity, or the greatness of one’s heart and soul—the capacity to take in and absorb and embrace more of the world and its complexities in the spirit of generosity, self-giving, self-donation and oblation, as opposed to self-preservation, stinginess, selfishness,” San Juan added. “Third is humility…[which] also allows the leader to continue learning, because there is a lot to learn in turbulent times, as opposed to a leader who is grandiose, self-sufficient and proud, dismissive of others, unable to listen and to learn.”

The forum was held by Phil-Leads in partnership with the Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education (Fuse) in Manila to kick-start its mission: to educate individuals, groups and organizations on ethical leadership that contributes to the sustainable and inclusive development of organizations, communities and the nation. The network of individuals who study, teach or exercise leadership in their respective capacities as leadership educators, researchers and scholars, consultants, students, and public and private sector leaders believe that in any aspect—be it politics, business, the church, the academe—leadership should be practiced by all, and not just by persons in positions of authority.

“People think that our problems in organizations, communities and the country can be solved for as long as we have a ‘great leader,’ or a leader with the right personality or traits who could fix all our problems. This leads those with this kind of thinking to simply be passive and not participate in addressing our challenges in the organization, communities or country,” explained Regina Reyes, a graduate of the PhD in Leadership Studies program of the Ateneo School of Government and adjunct faculty of the Asian Institute of Management, who is one of Phil-Leads’ steering committee members.

“The demand for the modern times is no longer for one great leader but many leaders; no longer a leadership of a few people, but the leadership of many,” Reyes added.

It’s a demand that especially rings true today, said San Juan, when turbulence is experienced in almost all aspects of life and at different levels: personal, interpersonal, organizational, sociocultural, institutional, societal, global, environmental.

In politics, for example, San Juan said turbulence could be seen in the rise of leaders in several nations with a “great tendency toward authoritarianism,” threatening the economy and even democracy.

Socioculturally, he said turbulence could be observed in the Catholic Church, as Pope Francis initiated reforms which challenge traditional views and beliefs.

Those in business, San Juan added, are most likely more familiar with a term similar to turbulence: disruption.

“We can take as an example of turbulence affecting business the rapid development of technology. For every advanced invention and innovation that is technology-based, businesses get affected. Businesses cope and they cope as rapidly as the velocity of the innovation. Many things get disrupted, and strong disruptions are seen in customers’ buying habits, for one, and how these habits become more dependent on and controlled by technology,” said San Juan, citing the success of companies like Uber and AirBnB.

“It’s not business as usual for businesses,” added Raul Rodriguez, Phil-Leads cofounder who also has a PhD in Leadership Studies from the Ateneo. “The line between management and leadership blurs—both are needed in business now.”

He said that for a business leader to be effective, he or she must be ready for change while still taking care of core competencies, especially for the large companies.

“See beyond the financials. Create change for the better, create meaning in what [you] do,” Rodriguez said.

Phil-Leads plans to roll out more leadership seminars next year for the business, education, NGO and government sectors.

The group also hopes to organize Phil-Leads student chapters in various schools nationwide.

“Our big, hairy, audacious goal is to host an international leadership conference here in the Philippines, hopefully with the help of academic institutions, specifically, business schools and schools of public and development management,” added Reyes.