5 Keys of Spiritual Leadership

We are all familiar with the prototypical images of spiritual leaders of Orisa Lifestyle, wearing traditional gowns, carrying icons and emblems of authority. Today, however, spiritual leadership manifests in people of many persuasions. The social worker, with tatoos from wrist to elbow, driving a black muscle car just might be a priest of Sango. The understated accountant, wearing glasses and a conservative dark pants suit might be wearing powerful Ifa charms on her body. The point is, you cannot tell a book by looking at the cover, so focus on spiritual development, not on how you or your shrine looks. 

The key word here is spiritual development, which is synonymous with growth and change. Remember, evolution is a function of adaptability, not strength. Stated differently spiritual leaders are most needed at those pivotal transition points, when people desperately need guidance and support. In my 20 years' experience as a human services professional, I have found that when it comes to providing spiritual leadership, what really matters is your ability to create enthusiasm, empower other people, instill confidence and inspire the people you serve to be the best they can be under ANY and ALL circumstances.  If you've ever been on the front lines of a crisis situation, you know that can be a very tall order. Likewise, however, you might have also noticed that there are some things great spiritual leaders do every day. Check out these five keys for spiritual leadership and let me know what you think:

1. FACE CHALLENGES: Spiritual leadership means being brave enough to face up to challenging situations and deal with them with maturity and honesty. Whether it's navigating a debilitating illness, managing a wayward teen, or dealing with financial hardship, effective spiritual leadership means meeting these challenges openly. You have to communicate regularly with your clients and your team, informing them of both good and bad news. You have to let people know when conditions are improving and when they're deteriorating as well. In the long run, this helps send the message to your people that they can trust you to be transparent. The flip side is that people love to gossip and the gossip is usually 10 times worse than reality. Spiritual leadership means letting the people you serve see see you get out there and confront reality with poise, clarity and confidence. 
2. BUILD TRUST: Closely related to facing challenges is building trust. Strangely, this is hardly ever directly addressed with circles of orisa devotees. But the bottom line is, your clients and your team mates will be more loyal and more confident when they feel like its safe to trust you and the process. You build that trust in many different ways. Fundamentally, however, one of the first things to do is demonstrate that you care. The renown psychologist, Carl Rogers called it cherishing the client. Take an interest in your clients and team mates beyond the work that you do together. You don't have to be nosy, but it's good practice to ask about your client's family, their home life and their interests. Basically, you need to let your people know that you're interested in their overall success and well being. Another important aspect of building trust is being patient. Everyone makes mistakes, but nobody like to admit it. Sometimes, I have a client who did not complete a ritual as prescribed or a student who did not complete a homework assignment. I make it a point to correct the mistakes but I don't reprimand or correct them in anger. There is a wonderful oriki for Obatala that says, "Without anger he pronounces his judgement." When you can calmly explain the situation and why their behavior or actions weren't correct, as well as what you expect in the future, it reduces anxiety, which is crucial to learning and spiritual development. When people know that you aren't going to berate them and that you have their best interests at heart, they're going to trust you more. 
3. BE AUTHENTIC: I spoke on this in a recent video on charlatanism and etiquette. If you're not an African villager, don't try to be one. If you're not an intellectual philosopher, don't pretend that you are. Everyone you serve will be able to tell if you're just pretending to be someone you're not. If you try to fake it until you make it, that will definitely make people question what else about you might be inauthentic. Whatever your style is, so long as it does not detract from the quality of your service, be comfortable working from that place. Use your strengths and personality traits to develop your personal priesthood. 
4. EARN RESPECT: When you conduct yourself in an ethical way and model the traits you want to see in others, you earn the respect of those around you. As my mentor, Imodoye says, "Be honest and be organized." Leaders who don't "walk the talk" don't usually get very far. This is directly related to authenticity. Don't let your mouth write checks that your butt can't cash. By the same token, when you have the right of way you move forward with certainty. Take what is yours without hesitation and let nobody encroach upon your space without being checked in the strongest way possible. You absolutely have to set proper boundaries for your clients, team mates and colleagues. When you do so, your people will take greater pride in the work you're doing together. This is super important when it comes to engagement, or helping people take ownership of the experience. When people see you move with integrity, they will recognize it and they will want to do the same. 
5. STAY CURIOUS: I cannot emphasize this enough. Orisa Lifestyle is an old world tradition. As such, it is extremely conservative, which is exactly what it should be. But for you as a person embarking upon your own individual quest, it is obligatory to remain intellectually curious and committed to learning. Be inquisitive and always looking for new ideas, insights and information. Innovation and new approaches to old problems can come from many places, so you need to always be on the lookout for knowledge or people who might inform your practice and give you a unique advantage. I will confess to you that my professional career has been filled with surprises and unexpected turns. But every experience has been a kind of preparation for what I am doing today. By being curious, open and willing to learn, my life experience has prepared me for my mistakes and allowed me to actually progress in the face of sometimes bizarre changes in the environment. Remain incurably curious. Be interested in the things going on around you and let them contribute to your vision of the Good Condition.  

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