Wisdom and Grace – at an Early Age

© Imelda Maurer, cdp 2008 All Rights Reserved. Permissions: ilmcdp@yahoo.com

Earlier today I took time to watch President-Elect Barak Obama's first press conference. Nothing in the content was surprising or new; Barak has campaigned with a consistent theme these many months. What I continue to be impressed with is his astute sense and practice of creative, effective leadership.

We are in the midst of the worst economic decline since the Great Depression. On September 25th, when McCain was suggesting that the first Presidential Debate be cancelled so that business could be taken care of, Obama had gathered around him a team of the best and the brightest from whom to seek advice. Again today, his press conference was preceded by a 'summit' with some 18 top economic experts. How telling it was, I thought, that those individuals who make up a brain trust in this important area, were invited to share the stage with the President-Elect.

Surely President Obama will make the final decisions because the buck really does stop there in the Oval Office. But at the same time, there is no "front and center", "I'm 'the one', "I'm in charge and I'll take care of it" kind of leadership style with Obama. Rather, there is an extremely confident and intelligent approach that says "I need all of you if this is going to work." "We are in this together and no one of us has all the answers."

It calls to mind once again the words of Sister Joan Chittister when she received the Leadership Award from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in 2007.

"What we need again is leadership that seeks out, that encourages, that enables, that frees the theorists, the reformers, the revolutionaries and the charismatic models among us so we can all see the light. Enlightened leadership engages all of them together in one great enterprise of fire and flame in a dark, dark world. We need leadership that authorizes the leadership of the rest (of the group). We need leadership that will follow the lights within the group to the edge of tomorrow rather than the preservation of yesterday."

Blessings on you, President-Elect Obama. May our Provident God continue to guide your way in wisdom and in grace.

And thank you, Mr. President-Elect, for stirring the hope that dwells within each of us and for lighting its bright fire once again within us all.

"Hope won."