Pope Francis exemplifies 12 important leadership lessons including leading with humility, spending time with employees at all levels of the organization, making inclusion a top priority, embracing reinvention, and focusing on serving others rather than judging them. His approach emphasizes respect, compassion, and understanding different perspectives.

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Lead with Humility
12 Leadership Lessons from Pope Francis
Jeffrey A. Krames
Copyright © 2014 AMACOM, a division of American Management Association
144 pages
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Rating
10 Applicability
8 Innovation
8 Style 9
Focus
Leadership & Management
Strategy
Sales & Marketing
Finance
Human Resources
IT, Production & Logistics
Career & Self-Development
Small Business
Economics & Politics
Industries
Global Business
Concepts & Trends
Take-Aways
• Pope Francis’s approach to leadership teaches 12 important lessons.
• First, lead from a position of humility. Second, spend time on the front lines.
• Third, identify with your people. Productive dialogue requires mutual respect.
• Fourth, embrace the potential of personal and organizational reinvention.
• Fifth, choose trusted advisers who can help you make good decisions and aren’t afraid
to tell you when they think you’re wrong.
• Sixth, don’t allow insularity to infect your organization. Seventh, be alert, practical and
proactive, so your competitors don’t overrun you.
• Eighth, look like a leader. Understand the politics of your organization so you can
resolve conflicts. The ninth lesson: Delegate and trust your people. Don’t micromanage.
• Tenth, your role as a leader is to serve others.
• Eleventh, you can’t hide from adversity. Deal with it promptly and decisively.
• Twelfth, reach out to your customers and to noncustomers, as well.
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2. Lead with Humility getAbstract © 2014 2 of 5
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Relevance
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What You Will Learn
In this summary, you will learn:r1) How Pope Francis developed his leadership style, 2) Why humility is the most
important trait for a leader to have and 3) How to apply Pope Francis’s philosophy to leading your organization.
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Review
Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina chose the name “Francis” when he became the first Jesuit pope of the
Catholic Church in March 2013. Inspired by the modesty of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis anchors his philosophy
and approach to life in humility. Author Jeffrey A. Krames, the Jewish son of Holocaust survivors, portrays Pope
Francis as a decisive, pragmatic leader with keen political and business acumen. This compelling profile of the
pope’s strengths and vulnerabilities explains how you can emulate his leadership in a corporate environment. Krames
illustrates why Pope Francis has become one of the world’s most admired and respected figures. Whatever your
spiritual beliefs are, getAbstract thinks you will find profound inspiration in this portrait of Pope Francis’s humble
– but effective – approach to leadership.
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Summary
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“Pope Francis does
not want to change the
Catholic Church’s core
values; he simply wants
to update its operating
system to be compatible
with the world’s ever-evolving
networks.”
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“Pope Francis shows
himself to be a leader
who understands that
leaders lead people, not
institutions.
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Pleasant Surprise
After the selection of Argentinian Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio as pope in March 2013, his
humility, caring and willingness to be vulnerable captured the fancy of Catholics and non-
Catholics around the world. Pope Francis, who labels himself a “sinner,” famously asked,
“Who am I to judge?” An inspirational, authentic and visionary leader, the pontiff, age 77,
advocates change and innovation.
In his nearly 40 years as a priest in South America, Bergoglio was as an unpretentious
man who took public transportation to visit Catholics and non-Catholics in Argentinian
neighborhoods. Fifteen months after he turned 75 – and submitted his mandatory
resignation to Pope Benedict XVI – Bergoglio was elected to lead the world’s 1.2 billion
Catholics, stepping in to head a church plagued by controversy. His tenure as pope
exemplifies 12 important leadership lessons:
1. “Lead with Humility”
Pope Francis believes that humility is the single most important leadership characteristic
and that everyone should learn to be more humble. For his first public appearance as pope,
Francis chose not to stand on a platform that would raise him higher than other cardinals.
Before addressing the crowd, he requested a prayer for himself, a decidedly untraditional
gesture. Few corporate leaders demonstrate that kind of humility. Examples include former
eBay CEO Meg Whitman, Travelocity’s former CEO Michelle Peluso and Tony Hsieh of
Zappos, who all chose to work out of cubicles among their employees.
Pope Francis considers himself a servant. Humble leaders understand the distinction
between issuing orders to employees and helping them succeed. Leaders who serve others
acknowledge that productive dialogue requires mutual respect. Pope Francis believes
that lowering your defenses and withholding judgment helps you overcome obstacles to
good communication.
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“Being a humble
leader does not prevent
Francis from exercising
authority and power
when needed.”
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“In his first month
as pope, Francis
expounded on the
necessity of service and
how that imperative
included him as well.”
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“Giving all of your
people a greater
understanding of
what their colleagues
contribute to the
organization is
your best chance of
eliminating inward-focused
insularity.”
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“It is not only in
Francis’s world that
people come first; if you
lead people, then they
are your top priority, as
well.”
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2. “Smell like Your Flock”
Pope Francis forged his commitment to helping the less fortunate when he was an assistant
bishop in Buenos Aires. Determined to increase the Roman Catholic Church’s involvement
in the city’s hazardous slums, Bergoglio targeted drug use – in particular, the use of paco,
a form of cocaine paste. The church created a rehab center and set up two farms that
hired former addicts. Another program helped young people gain apprenticeships to learn
a profession. When Padre Pepe, a veteran priest, received death threats about his crusade
against drugs, Bergoglio fearlessly held an outdoor Mass and condemned drug dealers. The
future pope spent time in the slums with his parishioners, walking the streets and even
washing the feet of young addicts.
The leaders of Tesco PLC, England’s largest grocery retailer, also work to understand
their “flock.” For one week a year, its executives and managers work as checkout
clerks, customer service reps, warehouse clerks, and the like. The “Tesco Week in Store
Together” (TWIST) program increases profits and helps leaders relate authentically to their
employees and customers.
3. “Who Am I to Judge?”
Pope Francis’s statement in 2013 that the church should not condemn homosexuals
illustrates his belief that “judging” and “assessment” are not the same. Pope Francis
leaves judging to a higher power, but doesn’t hesitate to make appropriate assessments
or decisions. Leaders’ critical responsibilities include assessing their employees. Sound
assessment requires dialogue and interaction, not just yearly performance reviews. Pope
Francis advocates, “respectful and compassionate listening.” Academic research strongly
supports his philosophy of focusing on employees’ positive qualities and finding ways to
strengthen them. Don’t dwell on the negative; invest in and support the positive to gain
better employees who are more loyal.
4. “Don’t Change – Reinvent”
Pope Francis’s speech at the 2013 conclave indicated that he was a forward thinker who
favored change. He said that the church should practice greater outreach. This resonated
with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who whispered, “That’s what we need.” By becoming
the first pope to take the name Francis, Bergoglio suggested the power of personal
reinvention and redemption. Pope Francis has called on the church to reassess its views
about gay marriage, contraception and divorce. He wants it to question whether it is clinging
to a potentially outdated ideology. To parallel this kind of leadership thinking, examine
whether your business practices remain relevant or reflect a status quo that your company
has always protected. Consider whether you should retain employees who resist change and
protect their own careers rather than your organization.
5. “Make Inclusion a Top Priority”
Bergoglio’s experiences as the “Bishop of the Slums” changed him. The future pope
established a precedent of interacting with people on the periphery of society. Outreach
begins with clergy recognizing that they must not “act like bureaucrats or government
officials.” Pope Francis even told an archbishop that he should go out at night to help feed
and clothe the poor. To the pope, outreach includes approaching nonreligious Catholics
who have left the church. Inclusion means seeking input on decision making. Pope Francis
assembled a team of eight cardinals to advise him on world issues. In your firm, establish a
panel to help you determine policy. Appoint diverse representatives, including people who
aren’t afraid to challenge you.
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“If your employee
comes to you looking
for an opportunity to
grow and you feel that
the person is able to
handle the job, allow
him or her to take on
the responsibility.”
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“You can identify the
self-interested people
in your organization,
because they often cling
to the silos or cliques
they have created...to
insulate themselves
from organizational
change.”
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“Francis goes to
great lengths to put
people on an equal
and even footing when
engaging others in
conversation.”
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“Spend all your time
talking and you will
do nothing but confirm
your own biases and
prejudices.”
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6. “Avoid Insularity”
The Catholic Church has been accused of being “stuck in motion” and unwilling to entertain
meaningful change. Some companies also refuse to accept outside help or to acknowledge
that problems exist, but no organization or individual has all the answers. Pope Francis
believes that too much self-sufficiency indicates a lack of trust in God’s presence. You can
be a strong leader while filled with self-doubt and vulnerability. Humility contributes to
personal growth and makes you more likely to seek help. Don’t let insularity infect your
organization, as can happen if you set up departments to compete with each other. Arrange
informal meetings and lunches so people from different areas can get to know each other.
7. “Choose Pragmatism over Ideology”
Pope Francis’s belief that the church must acknowledge reality and make appropriate,
proactive adjustments applies to every organization. Clinging to a particular ideology or
set of procedures while denying the actuality of change only holds an organization back,
regardless of its size.
Past performance is no guarantee of future success. Just ask BlackBerry, which once
dominated the mobile-device market. Pragmatists face reality. Pope Francis recognizes that
to succeed he must understand politics. He encourages people to explore the culture of
their organization.
8. “Employ the Optics of Decision Making”
Pope Francis deliberately conveys his humility. For instance, by taking public transportation
as a bishop, he became more accessible – and more human – to his followers.
Pope Francis incarnates the spiritual consciousness of the Catholic Church, but knows that
he also must be a “political animal.” He recognizes that leaders must make decisions that
have serious consequences, and he believes that impetuousness is harmful. He says a rash
decision he made years ago stemmed from immaturity and created the misperception that
he is “ultraconservative.”
The need to make smart, deliberate decisions applies to how leaders hire top people.
Michael Eisner became CEO of Disney in 1984 following Walt Disney’s death. Eisner’s
hiring of Frank Wells to be second in command sent a message that the future of the entire
company wasn’t only in Eisner’s hands. Wells was so competent that, after he died in an
accident in 1994, Disney struggled and Eisner eventually lost his job. People decisions are
always a leader’s top priority.
9. “Run Your Organization like a Field Hospital”
Pope Francis compares the church to a hospital that treats the spiritually wounded just as a
mobile medical unit tends to the physically wounded on the front lines in a war. He wants
the clergy to help those in financial or relationship difficulties and those who must deal
with the death of a loved one. He believes a worthy servant of the people acts with a sense
of urgency.
As technology reduces opportunities for personal contact, have your employees spend
time in the field with customers. Trust your people to make sound, independent decisions.
Micromanaging hurts performance and shows your mistrust in those you lead. As with a
field hospital, you cannot make every critical decision. You must trust subordinates with
authority over serious matters.
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“Francis does not see
the world as a static
place but as an ever-changing
landscape
that we all need to be
attuned to.”
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“The frontier is not a
place; it is more of a
positive and broad-minded
attitude coupled
with courage and
audacity.”
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“Francis lives on the
frontier while still
exercising power
and living by a self-imposed
code of radical
humility.”
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10. “Live on the Frontier”
Pope Francis uses the word “frontier” to suggest people who live on “the periphery.” He
means this literally – as with a particular nun who lived for years among the poor – and
figuratively – as with nonconformist people who make counterintuitive decisions or flaunt
conventional wisdom. People with experience on the frontier – either literally or figuratively
– trust their ability to make decisions. They know when hesitation is not an option.
Effective leaders such as Pope Francis know how to make unorthodox decisions. They have
the confidence and experience to act in the best interests of their organizations. Life on the
frontier means putting your needs and desires aside to serve others.
11. “Confront Adversity Head-On”
In March 2014, Pope Francis knelt and confessed publicly. He thus defined himself as a
sinner – who could be redeemed through the Catholic rite of confession – and as someone
who deserves forgiveness because “by extension, everyone is a sinner.” The leader of the
Catholic Church demonstrated that he doesn’t put himself above anyone else. Francis uses
a similar strategy to deal with adversity.
Pope Francis lost a lung as a teenager. Yet, he worked in a stocking factory daily after
school. He learned from an early age to “turn...setbacks into opportunities to grow.”
He has worked to deal evenhandedly with the sexual abuse scandal that plagued the church.
He created an eight-person commission that notably included four women to help the
Church face sexual-abuse issues. Leaders can’t waste time when they face a divisive crisis;
they must be prompt and attentive. Delaying action raises suspicion and invites criticism.
The pope’s rapid response illustrates the principle that “serious matters require serious and
timely action.” Never hesitate when faced with a difficult decision or circumstances. Listen
to your advisers, trust your “frontier” instincts and take action.
12. “Pay Attention to Noncustomers”
Under Pope Francis, the church has reached out to nonmembers and to lapsed Catholics.
He uses the Internet and social media to raise the Church’s profile. Business author
Peter Drucker holds that “90% of the information” that organizations assemble comes
from “inside the organization.” Such unintentional navel-gazing holds firms and other
organizations back; how can you see where you need to make progress if all your
descriptions are self-descriptions?
To build communication, invite several of your biggest customers to address your managers
about their most pressing concerns. That’s only the first step at looking for your organization
from the outside in. To gain a more accurate self-portrait, use whatever method you prefer
to learn what noncustomers think of your organization. Raise your profile outside your
immediate market. Pope Francis draws non-Catholics’ positive attention to the church with
his humility, his outreach and his example of compassionate leadership.
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About the Author
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Jeffrey A. Krames has written several business bestsellers, including Jack Welch and the Four E’s of Leadership.
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