George Carey: The most important characteristic of leaders is that they listen
From an address to the Diocese of Oxford by the Archbishop of Canterbury
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Your support makes all the difference.Leadership is, unquestionably, central to the theme of growth in our church. A discerning leader will deliberately discourage knee-jerk solutions or quick-fix suggestions. She or he will encourage time to reflect, plenty of time to absorb the new realities, and only then will the task be to begin to find an answer.
We have a problem in the Anglican communion at the moment that I believe requires this kind of approach. A diocesan synod in Canada, with the approval of its bishop, has decided to allow the liturgical blessing of same-sex relationships. A significant number of those opposed have appealed to me to adjudicate. At the legal level I have no authority, but as president of the communion I have moral authority. How do I exercise that moral authority? Both sides want resolution of the conflict – and as quickly as possible! The situation is seriously polarised and could destabilise the communion.
My approach is to create a holding environment in which we can consider the problem with care, keeping both sides talking and together, while raising their awareness of their responsibilities for the communion. Hopefully we will find a solution. However, this point about adaptive leadership leads me to observe that those in leadership must care for the whole and not just for those with whom we are in sympathy or a particular group. We have to be as inclusive as we possibly can be.
So in the difficult, complex days where we seek to exercise courageous leadership, the very first, and most important, characteristic of leaders is that they listen. They listen to God's word; they spend time in God's presence and wait for a word from the Lord. They listen in order to see.
I think that was the secret of Mother Teresa's wonderful ministry. She was asked one day by a hardbitten journalist what she said to God when she prayed. She replied: "I don't say anything. I just listen." "Oh," said the surprised journalist, "and when you listen what does God say to you?" Mother Teresa smiled sweetly at him and said: "He doesn't say anything. He just listens!" And then she said to him: "If you don't understand that, I can't explain it to you."
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