As women who work, we reflect on our leadership in the workforce. In the work world, we are taught that the leadership equation includes winning, managing, competition, with "me" at the center of it all: my next promotion; my next acquisition; my next big step.
For women striving to do God's Holy Will, the work world can be tricky and lonely. As a working Catholic woman, I have been blessed throughout my career to work with amazing women leaders who have shown me that leadership can be counter-cultural, and that we as women have much to teach in terms of effective leadership approaches.
Mary Devlin Capizzi, in Helen Alvare's book, breaking through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves, articulates her perspective succinctly:
"Faith, not my work, is the root that defines my life, and my work reflects and reveals my faith." (p. 86)
Now, this is a woman that has got the right equation!
This is the exact sentiment that all of the women in my research affirm. Women who lead with faith at the foundation of their work lives reveal much about who they are, and who women leaders are in general!
Women who lead in this way demonstrate the very nature of women's leadership, eloquently spoken about by the Vatican II fathers:
"The hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being acknowledged in its fullness, the hour in which women acquire in the world an influence, an effect, and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women impregnated with a spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling." (Closing speeches Vatican Council II, 12/8/65).
Where better to aid humanity in not falling? When you spend 8+ hours per day in the work world, opportunities are unlimited!
We can certainly turn to both Sacred Scripture and Church tradition for our pathways.
I'd like to offer a look at Our Lady, Mother Mary, as a perfect role model for all women, of course, but for women who work in particular.
According to St. Louis de Montfort, Mary has 10 principle virtues, which when practiced help to lead us to her Son. You can find some of these virtues in other women in the Bible, but you can find all 10 in Our Lady. I am going to present 5 that I believe to be super important at work, and help us to increase our confidence in our feminine leadership approaches. When reading through this list, think of your workday, and the everyday, ordinary ways you can practice these in your leadership.
Ardent Charity: How can you demonstrate great love at work? This is not the same love as a spousal love, of course. How do you approach your employees? Your supervisors? Your clients? Your customers? Is your approach focused on valuing a relationship more than a material good? Are you able to articulate information and ideas in a mutually respectful way?
Heroic Patience: Do you really listen at work? Are you able to rise above a situation in order to assist others as they learn new tasks? Do you hold your temper or judgment about your supervisor when you disagree with them? Are you willing in your attitude to seek understanding of others, even when it is difficult?
Divine Wisdom: Recalling your baptism, and especially your confirmation, do you recall and use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in your work decisions? Do you pray for guidance? Do you seek Biblical and Church tradition answers and solutions? Do you show gratitude to God when you recognize divine wisdom at work?
Angelic Sweetness: Is your approach nurturing and relational? Do you avoid calumniation of fellow co-workers and supervisors? Even when difficult, do you respond to others at work by extending grace and mercy?
Profound Humility: Are you focused on others more than yourself? Do you recognize the work of the team, or are you taking credit for the work? Do you care who gets the credit? Does this impact the way you treat others?
Mary's virtues bring us to a very feminine leadership style: one steeped in relationship building, not shying away from truth or faith, but approaching others in grace. When practiced at work, these virtues of Our Lady can lead us to Holiness and a fulfilled leadership at work.
Further, when we pray the Rosary, we can reflect on these virtues as we contemplate the Mysteries of Christ. This morning, as I was praying the Glorious Mysteries on the way to work, I was able to reflect on the virtue of Divine Wisdom as I contemplated the Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit.
At that moment, I prayed about a decision I had to make at work. I arrived at work, at peace with the decision I had to make. I was able to recall the gifts of the Holy Spirit, seeking wisdom for decisions at work. This everyday example of Mary helps me in my work life, as I journey to Christ each day.
I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the priest for me. I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.
Purest Gold: God's Refining Fire in our Lives »
After salvation, many young Christians wonder if there's anything more to their newfound faith than just the security blanket of "being a Christian." Time and time again, God shows himself as a "refiner," and our lives are as gold. God started leading me in this study to understand what He was doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
Picking up my pen to write this column, I couldn’t imagine how time flies. Since the last publication of this column I have gone through a lot, especially the loss of my dear mother to whom I dedicate this article. Not only her, but seems I lost a whole generation of my close family.
How to Achieve Business Excellence »
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before Kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Proverbs 22:29
Spiritual Development for our Youth »
Most of us youth in today's fast moving world are easily thrown off by difficulties and worries.
The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior turning of hearts; the liturgy urges the faithful to reflect and examine consciences thoroughly.
Saint Josephine Bakhita »
Feast Day: February 8
Patron Saint Of: Sudan
Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Catholics Must Fast More Intensely This Lent»
The Norbertine Canons of St. Michael's Abbey have created this digital Lenten retreat so that you can journey through this holy season alongside them. If you want to have one of your best Lenten seasons yet, join us in our Lenten Program "The Great Fast" - https://theabbotscircle.com/the-great-fast-join
When Your Faith Is Put to the Test - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon»
Friends, we come now to the Second Sunday of Lent, and we’re on both dangerous and very holy ground with the first reading from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The ancient Israelites referred to it as the “Akedah,” which means the “binding”: Abraham binds and is ready to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command.
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