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Contemplative Leaders in Contemplative Leaders in Action…Action…

a program for emerging leadersa program for emerging leaders

Jesuit CollaborativeJesuit CollaborativeFordham, June, 2009Fordham, June, 2009

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Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

The program (target audience, The program (target audience, program structure, implementation)program structure, implementation)

Our experience to date Our experience to date Open forum discussionOpen forum discussion

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The program mission: The program mission:

“…“….to nurture emerging, Christ-.to nurture emerging, Christ-centered leaders so that they can centered leaders so that they can impact society.” impact society.”

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The program = one response to The program = one response to a daunting challenge:a daunting challenge:

““Unless religious leaders take young Unless religious leaders take young adults more seriously, the future of adults more seriously, the future of American religion is in doubt.” American religion is in doubt.”

(Robert Wuthnow, (Robert Wuthnow, After the Baby After the Baby BoomersBoomers))

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Program participants:Program participants:

Who we were after…Who we were after…

How we looked….How we looked….

What we found…What we found…

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The target demographic for our The target demographic for our pilot: pilot:

Christian men and women, aged Christian men and women, aged approximately 25 to 35approximately 25 to 35

Employed in marketplace, church, Employed in marketplace, church, government, non-profitgovernment, non-profit

Demonstrated leadership potential Demonstrated leadership potential and faith commitmentand faith commitment

…….Jesuit school grads a prime .Jesuit school grads a prime but not exclusive nichebut not exclusive niche

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Over a two-year period, the Over a two-year period, the cohort would commit to: cohort would commit to:

A monthly evening meetingA monthly evening meeting An annual weekend retreatAn annual weekend retreat Opportunity for mentoring and/or for Opportunity for mentoring and/or for

spiritual directionspiritual direction Involvement in service work Involvement in service work

= balancing real commitment = balancing real commitment against their “time famine”against their “time famine”

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We sought a manageable We sought a manageable number of “high probability” number of “high probability”

nominees, approaching:nominees, approaching: Presidents of metro NY Jesuit high schools Presidents of metro NY Jesuit high schools Pastors of metro NY Jesuit parishesPastors of metro NY Jesuit parishes Campus ministry and other contacts at Campus ministry and other contacts at

Jesuit universities Jesuit universities Alpha Sigma NuAlpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Volunteer CorpsJesuit Volunteer Corps CLC and other “networkers”CLC and other “networkers”

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The application process:The application process:

We received about 50-60 nominee We received about 50-60 nominee names/email addresses names/email addresses

About 25-30 of these completed a About 25-30 of these completed a short application form and were short application form and were interviewedinterviewed

We accepted 19We accepted 19

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The first cohort was wonderfully, The first cohort was wonderfully, but not Platonically, diverse:but not Platonically, diverse:

Gender balancedGender balanced Rather more single than marriedRather more single than married Racially and ethnically diverse—but Racially and ethnically diverse—but

no Hispanic!no Hispanic! Highly accomplished in diverse Highly accomplished in diverse

occupations [Heavy on finance and occupations [Heavy on finance and law (this is NYC, after all!), but no law (this is NYC, after all!), but no healthcare and no religious]healthcare and no religious]

Virtually all CatholicVirtually all Catholic

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Program Architecture: Program Architecture:

Spiritual Spiritual andand Worldly Worldly

JesuitJesuit

Self-sustainingSelf-sustaining

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Provide spiritual formation Provide spiritual formation and and leadership development, e.g.:leadership development, e.g.:

Learning prayer techniquesLearning prayer techniques Learning about self via personality Learning about self via personality

inventories and group dynamicsinventories and group dynamics Praying togetherPraying together Researching and discussing critical Researching and discussing critical

social issues social issues Discussing leadership theoryDiscussing leadership theory

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Through a “secular” lens, the Through a “secular” lens, the program is a strategy for self-program is a strategy for self-

leadership:leadership:

1.1. Know yourself, including strengths Know yourself, including strengths and weaknessesand weaknesses

2.2. Develop a point of view on the Develop a point of view on the worldworld

3.3. Figure out where you want to lead Figure out where you want to lead (a sense of mission and vision)(a sense of mission and vision)

4.4. Acquire skills and tools that help Acquire skills and tools that help you go thereyou go there

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Through a “spiritual” lens, the Through a “spiritual” lens, the program draws heavily from the program draws heavily from the

Spiritual ExercisesSpiritual Exercises:: Learn and practice the Learn and practice the ExamenExamen Learn the “technology” of Ignatian Learn the “technology” of Ignatian

discernmentdiscernment Reflect on current reality of self and world Reflect on current reality of self and world

(“First Week”)(“First Week”) Articulate personal purpose and mission Articulate personal purpose and mission

(“Kingdom” and “Second Week” themes)(“Kingdom” and “Second Week” themes) Embrace the practice of an annual retreatEmbrace the practice of an annual retreat

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Why the program ideally fits Why the program ideally fits Jesuit culture, tradition, mission:Jesuit culture, tradition, mission:

Help the Church reach a critical yet Help the Church reach a critical yet neglected populationneglected population

Help create a “Jesuit network” in major Help create a “Jesuit network” in major citiescities

Accompany adults in their prime life-Accompany adults in their prime life-decision years (for centuries, a Jesuit decision years (for centuries, a Jesuit hallmark)hallmark)

Track high-potential Jesuit grads through Track high-potential Jesuit grads through the “lost decade” of young adulthoodthe “lost decade” of young adulthood

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Why the program fits (cont.):Why the program fits (cont.):

The program beneficiaries, “will grow The program beneficiaries, “will grow up to be….civic officials, and will fill up to be….civic officials, and will fill other important posts to everybody’s other important posts to everybody’s profit and advantage.” profit and advantage.”

(Fr. Polanco, justifying the education (Fr. Polanco, justifying the education ministry)ministry)

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Design challenges we faced Design challenges we faced (and face): (and face):

Quickly getting down the “cost Quickly getting down the “cost curve” to sustainabilitycurve” to sustainability

Replicability: designing modules that Replicability: designing modules that don’t depend on specific expertsdon’t depend on specific experts

Balancing spiritual and worldly: we Balancing spiritual and worldly: we are doing something new, aiming for are doing something new, aiming for the “uncomfortable middle”the “uncomfortable middle”

Balancing participant leadership in Balancing participant leadership in molding content vs. our design goalsmolding content vs. our design goals

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The bottom line: The bottom line:

How do we implement it?How do we implement it?

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Key steps toward a successful Key steps toward a successful September start-up:September start-up:

1.1. Form a stakeholder/steering Form a stakeholder/steering group group

2.2. Find a space Find a space

3.3. Find a facilitator Find a facilitator

4.4. Find fundingFind funding

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A hypothetical September A hypothetical September launch (continued):launch (continued):

Invite campus ministers, high school Invite campus ministers, high school presidents, pastors, etc to nominate presidents, pastors, etc to nominate candidates (April 1)candidates (April 1)

Invite candidates to apply (mid April)Invite candidates to apply (mid April) Conduct info sessions/applicant Conduct info sessions/applicant

screening (mid May)screening (mid May) By early June, confirm participants, By early June, confirm participants,

inform them of Fall meeting dates, inform them of Fall meeting dates, etcetc

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What did we learn?What did we learn?

Opening retreat critically important: Opening retreat critically important: bonding, trust-building, program bonding, trust-building, program definition, etcdefinition, etc

Regular attendance important: Regular attendance important: Quicker “in or out” decisions for Quicker “in or out” decisions for those who miss meetingsthose who miss meetings

Optimal size? Optimal size? • We started with 19We started with 19• 12-15 better if the ‘economics’ work 12-15 better if the ‘economics’ work

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What did we learn?What did we learn?

Participants strongly valued Participants strongly valued community, network, spiritual “tools”community, network, spiritual “tools”

A month between sessions is a long A month between sessions is a long time time

more homework?more homework?

social or other events?social or other events?

spiritual “check in” emails?spiritual “check in” emails?

catch up the person who missed? catch up the person who missed?

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What did we learn?What did we learn?

We probably tried to cover too muchWe probably tried to cover too much—go for a bit more depth—go for a bit more depth

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What we learned---ideas the What we learned---ideas the percolated: percolated:

Use ‘sub-committees’ to arrange Use ‘sub-committees’ to arrange social dimension, structure service social dimension, structure service project, etc?project, etc?

Meet in someone’s home Meet in someone’s home occasionally?occasionally?

Meet informally with one or another Meet informally with one or another Jesuit (I.e. the group wants to be part Jesuit (I.e. the group wants to be part of this ‘family’ or ‘network’)of this ‘family’ or ‘network’)

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Our vision: we imagine Our vision: we imagine national/international national/international replications where:replications where:

Veteran participants mentor junior onesVeteran participants mentor junior ones Participants become both “spiritual Participants become both “spiritual

friends” and a business and social networkfriends” and a business and social network The program co-sponsors lectures, prayer, The program co-sponsors lectures, prayer,

etc for the “Jesuit community” of a city: etc for the “Jesuit community” of a city: building Jesuit identity beyond institutional building Jesuit identity beyond institutional allegianceallegiance

Across cities and world, program Across cities and world, program participants feel a common bond, made participants feel a common bond, made tangible on-line and through conferencestangible on-line and through conferences

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The big picture: where do we go The big picture: where do we go from herefrom here

2008/9 = New York2008/9 = New York 2009/10 + Boston and Philadelphia2009/10 + Boston and Philadelphia 2010/11 + 4 to 6 more cities?2010/11 + 4 to 6 more cities?

(Chicago, Cleveland, Syracuse, (Chicago, Cleveland, Syracuse, Dublin, Melbourne, Seattle, Dublin, Melbourne, Seattle, Santiago/Chile)Santiago/Chile)

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Where do we go from here:Where do we go from here:

Systematic marketing in 2009/2010Systematic marketing in 2009/2010 Program materials on-line by end-Program materials on-line by end-

20092009 ““Practitioners Network” by Fall, ’09Practitioners Network” by Fall, ’09 Participant Network by Fall, ’09Participant Network by Fall, ’09 Codify the “non-negotiables” of a Codify the “non-negotiables” of a

CLIA program by early 2010CLIA program by early 2010 Begin thinking beyond year twoBegin thinking beyond year two