What CEOs Can Learn About Legacy From the Pope
Most institutions are set up to choose competent, rather than exceptional, leaders. But as the conclave showed, it doesn’t have to be that way.
This is what an “unfiltered leader” looks like.
Photographer: Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images EuropeI’m not Catholic, but when I think about the church’s almost 2,000 years of continuity, I feel awe bordering on the religious. Measured by length or impact, the papacy stands alone. But however unique it might be, it is still a leadership position. We can use what we’ve learned about leadership in other domains to illuminate what Leo XIV might mean for the church and the world. At the same time, the papal transition offers its own lessons for leaders — especially those looking to secure their legacies for the long-term.
Although most analyses of the new pope predict that he will be a figure of continuity who is less likely to make changes than his predecessor, leadership theories disagree, suggesting that he will likely leave a major individual imprint on the church.