Bewitched, Bewildered

I am not a witch. Nor have I ever practiced aqua-Buddhism. Clearly I am qualified to run for the U.S. Senate.

Is it just me, or does this electoral season seem surreal? I have been wondering what we mean by leadership. What qualities do we expect of those in whom we entrust authority and power? How do we measure or assess those qualities? Is leadership intentional, or situational?

The 33 miners trapped a half mile underground in Chile elected a leader while they awaited rescue from entombment. Their survival depended on his temperament, judgment and wisdom, his ability to assess, build consensus, make decisions and inspire confidence.

Are we to imagine candidates for that responsibility gave stump speeches and smeared each other with coal dust? What would happen if, when we entered the voting booth, we voted as if our survival depended on the outcome?

Lately, I have been thinking about leadership, for reasons other than the onslaught of political campaign messages that litter the landscape, the airwaves, the mailbox and the e-mailbox. I am a participant in the 2010-2011 St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program. This nine-month program brings together 25-30 participants for monthly sessions on issues of importance to our region’s future success.

Participants represent a diverse array of business, educational and nonprofit enterprises. I daresay political views range across the spectrum. What we share in common is an interest in our community, openness to personal and professional development, and a willingness to consider how we might work as individuals or in teams to address community issues.

CSB President MaryAnn Baenninger gave the keynote address at our kick-off session in September. She spoke of obstacles she overcame as she discovered and developed her gifts for leadership. In one pivotal moment, she found inspiration from a bumper sticker on a garbage truck: “Fear is not an option.”

You never know where you will find words of wisdom, but MaryAnn recognized them when she saw them, and she adopted them as her personal motto.

At the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, we speak about preparing our students for leadership in society, and we provide a variety of avenues for students to discover their gifts and learn how to use them for the common good. This is an area I plan to explore in the coming months. It’s an ongoing conversation I have with the student employee in my office, and I hope to extend the conversation to my colleagues.

Meanwhile, I hope our students are not disillusioned by our national obsession with the occult. As for me, this Halloween, I plan to dress up as a political candidate, complete with pointy hat, broomstick and cackle.