BBC Radio 4 2016-01-16

BBC Radio 4 2016-01-16

Good morning

Sir Philip Dilley has stepped down as Chair of the Environment Agency after spending part of the wettest December on record in Barbados whilst hundreds of communities here in the UK felt the full force of flood waters. In his resignation letter Sir Philip underlined how expectation of his role had expanded and that media scrutiny was diverting attention from flood hit victims. It also drew attention to what leadership means in times of crisis.

But the question - what is involved in leadership - has been asked in news stories across a broad spectrum of disciplines this week – and not least, it has to be said, in the Anglican Communion. A whole tranche of people, and not just transgender, lesbian and gay folk, feel dispirited by the actions of the Primates at their meeting, though admittedly the discussions involved a varied and complex cultural backdrop. And internationally, images from Syria remind us that it’s easy to forget about the human casualties of leadership, littered right across the news agenda.

A friend of mine, who was a management consultant, always said that the best place to look for different leadership styles was the world of sport. And there are plenty of examples just now.

The new England rugby union coach Eddie Jones called for a “change of mind set” as he named his first squad in a bid to boost England’s fortunes after the world cup disaster last year. Then there are the two hugely contrasting styles of leadership on display in Liverpool tomorrow afternoon in the Premier League. The Manchester United boss Louis Van Gall usually remains in the dugout clasping his notepad and never strays far - in stark contrast to his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp who looks a shoe-in for a future series of Strictly Come Dancing with his zany touchline rumba? Which style will bring the best result?

Theologians assessing the leadership model adopted by Jesus invariably start with what’s called the servant model. The whole thrust of Jesus’ approach to leadership is based on the notion of service. He leads by example, builds a strong team and communicates his vision with remarkable simplicity.

The result is so effective that it causes great consternation amongst those opposed to him: they see people being encouraged and empowered as well as difficult questions being addressed rather than ignored.

But it works. Because it is simple and direct. It gives hope and encouragement. It is for everyone and ignores no one.

Leadership is difficult at the best of times. In times of crisis, even more so. Which is why a theology of leadership, based on transformation through serving others, should be at least part of the wider debate.