Shepherd, Steward, Saint or Angel: What Kind of Leader Are You?
If you’re the owner of a transformational business, you are a leader. At the very least, you know that the choices and decisions you make affect your business, your clients and students, and your own life, in a number of ways.
I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership lately, because every action we take leads somewhere—it has consequences. Each step we take forms the path beneath our feet, and determines to some extent the next step, and the next. The paths we make by walking change us, and change the environment around us.
Each time you choose to speak from your heart, rather than say what you think someone else wants to hear, you act as a leader. Each time you consider deeply the needs of your clients, and devise creative solutions through the magic of your imagination, intention, experience and engagement, you map uncharted territory.
Conscious leadership requires us to take responsibility for our actions, and to make choices that benefit the whole ecology of which we are a part.
And yet, there are many different styles of conscious leadership.
Being a practical mystic, the four forms of leadership that wave to me right away are: The shepherd; the steward; the saint; and the angel.
Shepherds tend to their flock. They know each of their sheep by name. They know where the best pastures are, and the safest means of getting there. They stay close to their flock, round them up and lead them from one pasture to the next, sometimes walking in front of them, other times herding them from behind.
Good shepherds rescue sheep that have become stuck in a crevasse or wandered away from the flock. They make sure their sheep are watered, fed, and returned safely to their fold at night. They keep watch and protect their flock from wolves and other predators. They are tireless, caring, responsible leaders, subject to the stresses of wind and weather, predators and wild, rugged landscapes. Leadership in shepherd mode can be a lonely business.
The steward is a leader who considers the people and places in his care a sacred trust. A good steward serves as a trustee to his or her master. The master may be a person, or an organization, agency or even a country. Or the steward might be accountable to Nature, or God or to a vision of possibility.
The steward’s care might be for children and a family; or a place, a business, an organization or a creative gift, such as artistic genius or a flair for cooking. The steward-leader pays close attention to the needs of what’s been entrusted to her, and shapes her leadership to meet those needs.
The saint leads almost as an afterthought. Saints are committed first and foremost to their God or Goddess, or to an inner Truth, which guides them. Some saints—Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Socrates, the Dalai Lama—are guided to serve humanity. Others—Teresa of Avila, Mirabai—are ecstatically devoted to their Divine Source; their influence is a function of their presence and their written words, rather than of a direct engagement with the world. Saints lead primarily by example.
And then there are angels, who lead by carrying a vision or blueprint for a particular creation. They hold a space in which that creation can gestate safely, be born and grow into maturity. Examples of non-physical angel-leaders are the souls of countries—the angel of the United States; the angel of Australia—and the overlighting angels of the natural world . . . the souls of mountains, trees, fire, water, the Earth itself.
In our human world, angel-leaders are those who carry a vision for a particular creation—a painting or a book; a nation or an NGO. Angel-leaders create a space in which that vision can unfold. Good teachers are angels, in this tradition of leadership—they hold a vision of who their students can be, and make a safe space for them to grow into their potential. Good mothers and fathers, artists, entrepreneurs and, yes, politicians, are angel-leaders too. Angel-leaders don’t impose an ideology or agenda. Rather, they lead by being bearers of a vision, and holders of the space for its unfolding.
In reality, of course, we all draw on each of these forms of leadership, and many more.
So let’s talk.
What kind of leader are you, in your life and in your business?
And what forms of leadership do you respond to most readily? What kinds of leadership help you to be most creative? Most alive, and most fully your own unfolding self?
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Oh this is so thought provoking!
In my prior career, I was a shepherd in a white male dominated corporate structure. I had a “flock” of 70+ associates (mostly women) with big goals that we met by making work a fun and safe place. I was the buffer for the bureaucracy. That place needed a shepherd (we all need one from time to time!) and I loved it.
Now that I’m a coach, my dream is to build a new tribe (or flock) by being an angel leader. I believe anyone can accomplish anything that they feel truly called to do. I love holding a safe place for those visions.
It’s not as natural as shepherding yet… but I’m working on it! It’s the direction I feel called to go.
Great post! Thank you so much! Just what I needed today!
Jennifer Voss´s last blog post..When Your Essential Self Speaks… Don’t Freak Out
Really insightful description of leadership you really clarify the spiritual nature of leadership. Especially,the fact that leaders are different types and can manifest differently depending on the cultural ecology and their particular wisdom.
Thanks for writing this!!
Wow. This is wonderful. I love it, and can think of so many examples of leaders who personify each category.
I have to say that, honestly, I need to make a little substitution to use this in my life. I think my leaning is toward the “angel” category, but my Catholic upbringing definitely gets in the way when it comes to using such a term in reference to myself! Any suggestions?
Thanks, Hiro. So insightful and helpful.
Liz´s last blog post..Introducing the Elephant Manifesto
You have such a great blog. Your writings offer so much wisdom and guidance.
Karen
Twitter: lauriefoley
You truly are a practical mystic, Hiro. And I love that moniker. Thank you for helping me understand why some “shepherd” things have felt hard lately. Too much standing in the wind maybe.
Is it possible to be more than one of these at a time?
Laurie Foley´s last blog post..Is The Flexibility of Working For Yourself Driving You Crazy?
Twitter: HiroBoga
Laurie, yes, I think we lead in each of these ways at different times, and more than one of them at any given time. And there are, of oourse, other ways of leadership that I haven’t begun to address here. This is more a starting point for thinking about how we lead, and what the costs and consequences of those leadership patterns are, in our lives.
Liz, I’m really interested to hear what word you use to describe your style of leadership. Angel is definitely not the only word for it. :-) Soul leadership, perhaps?
Jennifer . . . another angel unfolds her wings! :-)
Bill and Karen, thank you.
Hiro Boga´s last blog post..Shepherd, Steward, Saint or Angel: What Kind of Leader Are You?
Twitter: smlacy
Oooh, I like this a lot. It really got me thinking about how I lead.
At first, I thought steward, because I’m so used to caring for others and nurturing things, and because that seemed like the least “leader-like”, a description I’m not used to putting next to my name.
But I’ve changed a lot in the past 6 months, and now I think angel-leader feels closest – I feel like I’m following a vision half the time, especially with my latest show.
Ironically, one of my closest friends calls me her angel, something I’ve always scoffed at. Reading this, I may have to start taking her seriously ;-)
Sarah Marie Lacy´s last blog post..T-minus 33 days: Guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt
Twitter: victoriashmoria
Wonderful post, Hiro! I love how you’ve shown the spiritual aspect of leadership. It’s always there, but it seems like it’s discussed so rarely in this way.
I would consider myself an angel-leader, I think. As a coach, I hold space for my clients’ visions of what they want their lives to be.
Even in my IT career (although I never thought of it this way until now), I hold space for solutions to unfold.
Wow…that’s quite a realization for a Monday morning!
Victoria Brouhard´s last blog post..Wreck This Journal – Week 2
Thanks so much for the beautiful post, Hiro! In the past I would have thought that I needed to pick one style and lead from that perspective only, but today I appreciate fluidity in leadership style. Not every scenario is served by the same type of leadership.
stacey beth shulman´s last blog post..Curvy People Unite!
I’ve read (and written) so much about leadership that I think I got stuck thinking about ’servant leadership’.
You’ve given other options to think about — in the most lovely way too!
Thanks!
All the best!
deb
Deb Owen´s last blog post..seeing the field (getting in the zone)
It’s so refreshing and helpful to see some different ideas of “leadership” in this post. A great reminder that even Seth Godin “Tribes”-style leadership can come in different varieties, and we can move from one style to another or be more than one at a time.
As the mother of young children, I’d say I’m in Shepherd mode much of the time (with a good dose of stewardship thrown in there too), and can surely vouch for the loneliness.
As an entrepreneur working to create a transformational business, I strive to be an angel (I’ve been called that by a few clients) but have had trouble feeling comfortable in my wings. Perhaps it’s time to step (er, fly?) more fully into that role — or maybe come up with a different word as Hiro suggests. Heart-centered leadership, maybe? A fun one to think about.
Interesting to note that none of the commenters (me included!) thinks of themselves as a saint :) Do we really not think of ourselves this way or are we simply uncomfortable claiming the title? If we called it “visionary” or “big-picture” leadership would it resonate with anyone? Just wondering.
Wendy Cholbi´s last blog post..I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m going to be ME while I do it
We talked a itty bitty bit on Twitter, but I feel as if I’m a Shepard Angel hybrid. :)
Shepard: I care a lot about people and went through a phase of getting all my caring tossed back at me in evil ways. Sort of like Havi’s shoe thing. I finally woke up and not caring just wasn’t an option for me. I noticed that those people just weren’t ready or able to accept the caring from me or who I am.
The most I can be is me.
I like to know people and them to know me. I enjoy the transparency and I believe it allows me to better help people. This is why I started my eWorkshop and have such a personal involvement with it by having one on one appts. with people.
Angel: I have a vision of how people can be a bit happier, know themselves more, and be more reliant on themselves physically and mentally than most are used to being.
If all of that makes sense. ;)
Amy Mommaerts´s last blog post..I don’t wanna be an adult no more!
This is so very beautiful Hiro. You are so wonderful :)
I feel I’m somewhere between a saint and an angel-teacher.
xoxo
Goddess Leonie´s last blog post..My mama is making me write this.
Reading your articles is like swimming in a pristine pool of water. Always so much purity and light AND practicality!
I had a dear friend years ago who married a Persian. They had two boys – Kahran (King in farsi) and Shabawn (shepherd). I watched the boys grow into men, and also witnessed how they “grew” into their names.
Kahran carried strength and royalty; Shabawn tenderness, wisdom, and strength.
Your article reminded me of the power of names, their inner essence, and I wonder what name would convey the essence of the angel-leader? Any ideas?
Thanks for sharing your inner beauty and wisdom.
Yael
Yael Reinhardt-Matsliah´s last blog post..Kalanit and the Creative Process
Once again you have stimulated my mind. Love it. I come up with the model of the artist for the way I most want to work, only with ideas, not paint or images.
I used to think of wanting to transmit ideas, but that seemed to require “knowing” in some kind of definitive sense which isn’t possible. Now I see the process as one of expressing, which stimulates others to respond, which leads to everyone learning more (including me!)
Thanks,
Lynne
Lynne Tolk´s last blog post..What if we ARE the fruit of the tree?
Twitter: HiroBoga
Lynne, yes! The Artist-leader, exploring and expressing ideas and ways of being . . . lovely. Thank you.
Yael, I love your story about your friend’s two boys, and the ways in which they grew into their names. Names are powerful–naming is, after all, one of the original acts of creation. Names for the angel-leader . . . Divine Architect?
Yay, Leonie, for claiming the Saint within you as well as the Angel! Someone else mentioned in the comments that nobody had owned up to being a saint-leader. I’m happy you have. :-)
Amy: Angel Amy has a nice alliteration to it.
Wendy, every mom is a shepherd as well as an angel. And, there’s the angel who carries the blueprint for shepherd-ness too!
Deb, Victoria, Stacy, Sarah Marie, you lead with your hearts and transform the world around you.
Love, Hiro
Hiro Boga´s last blog post..Shepherd, Steward, Saint or Angel: What Kind of Leader Are You?
Hiro,
This is a radiantly thoughtful post on leadership — I love the archetypes you have chosen here… I would say I most resonate with the Angel — Shepherd energies…
Your post also got me to thinking about how I bring my own archetypes into my leadership…
I have been in class identifying my archetypes using Caroline Myss’s Sacred Contracts as Model. Two of my archetypes that I am working with this lifetime are networker/storyteller and seeker. I see my leadership as that of making connections for people to become their fullest expression and of supporting people in telling a new story about their life. For the seeker part, I bring a sense of curiosity and seeking to share truth, beauty and possibility with others. Thank you for helping to see my “wheel” in a light — both in how I am working with these archetypes and how I bring this archetypal energy to others.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Love and light,
Shannon
Shannon´s last blog post..Monday Musings: Your Boldest Bloom
I love hearing your voice- in every way! Your leadership ideals speak to me in ways that of course the more patriarchal male-models of business never have. I am still reflecting on the different types to see where I fit, but I suspect that in some ways it depends on which client I am working with. I believe there is definitely a differential style – some clients need more of one than another to make their particular shifts.
Curious what you would say about that, Hiro.
Love as always
xox
Lisa
Lisa Claudia Briggs´s last blog post..Willing Or Not? The Big Shift
Love this inquiry, Hiro. Thanks for asking the question!
It’s funny. . I think about leadership a lot. It’s a topic and experience near and dear to my heart.
After reading this post, I notice that my heart is in the angel zone-always has been. Where as my thoughts of late are that of a shepherd. In fact I often describe what I do as being a sherpa, and yes, it is lonelier than I prefer.
Thanks for the opening! I’ll enjoy integrating and expanding my leading angel. :)
Now, where did I put those wings. .. lol
w/ much love,
Judy
Judy´s last blog post..Summer of Love Redux
Hmmm… I’ve got to say Shepherd and Angel hybrid would describe my leadership style the best. Probably 2/3 Shepherd & 1/3 Angel.
What style is yours?
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