Day 20 - really

Remember when I wrote a class paper last summer about the three voices of a leader? As that paper progressed, my conclusion was essentially this: instead of a leader trying his/her best to "walk-the-talk" - actions following words - why not turn that around and "talk-the-walk?" Here is what I wrote:

Saint Francis of Assisi is quoted as saying, “Preach the gospel at all times – if necessary, use words.” This is a great perspective for us to maintain as leaders. More than that, I believe something quite significant is present in these ten simple words for how we view leadership. Most of the material written on the subject of consistency between words and actions views the topic in that order: actions should match words. However, I suggest that we view this relationship in reverse. Instead of attempting to match our actions to our words, we should ensure that our words match our actions. Put another way, we should first decide how we should act as leaders, and then merely speak about those actions. The difference is subtle but filled with possibility! If we approach leadership from this perspective, we very well may find that we have much less to say with our mouths, providing us with a greater ability to listen and discern what is happening around us. If we decide how we should act in different situations and then let our words be reflections of those actions, I believe much of the inconsistency that we now face will disappear. Viewing leadership from this perspective will require much more internal discipline, but I believe this approach would raise the effectiveness of every leader today.

This was a powerful revelation for me at the time, and I was struck again by Nouwen's writing from yesterday:

In Jesus no division existed between his words and his actions, between what he said and what he did. Jesus' words were his actions, his words were events. They not only spoke about changes, cures, new life, but they actually created them. In this sense, Jesus is truly the Word made flesh; in that Word all is created and by that Word all is recreated.

Saintliness means living without division between word and action. If I would truly live in my own life the word I am speaking, my spoken words would become actions, and miracles would happen whenever I opened my mouth.