Quality Education in the Benedictine Tradition.

search

Alumni Blog

February – Heroic Leadership

Posted by Megan DePrimio on Wed, Mar 1, 2017 @ 09:03 AM
Find me on:

Greetings, readers, and happy almost (depending on when this gets posted) March. Honestly, where does the time go? Valentine’s Day decorations are out and Saint Patrick’s Day and Easter decorations are up and overwhelming stores. However, before the spring holidays come into full swing, I would like to share with you a book that was recently brought up through work, called Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney. In a nutshell, it is a book that teaches the four main Jesuit leadership principles that have ensured the Society’s success for the past 450-ish years. Now, I know very well that Saint Vincent is a Benedictine school, but hear me out here. Each religious order brings its own positive thing to the world, and despite the Benedictines and Jesuits being very different, they both are very good at what they do.

Jesuits, a more service-oriented order, pride themselves with “living with one foot raised.” What does this mean and how does this even apply to us today? Well, Jesuits have to be ready to move anywhere and do anything at a moment’s notice, while at the same time, accepting the challenge with a unique indifference. Even though this may sound like a tall order, I think that in the long run this mindset is truly a good way to approach and deal with change … (TBD if I can successfully implement this mantra, but it is now a new goal!)

Along with this ideal on how to live life and deal with chronic change, the Jesuits have a revolutionary notion that we are all leaders, and we are leading all of the time. To take a quote from The Princess Bride, “Inconceivable!” We already have so much influence to change things for the better, so how can we not move forward in a positive direction with this revelation? In addition to this statement, Lowney also imparts that there are four pillars of Jesuit leadership which are included in this book:

  1. Self-awareness – understand strengths, weaknesses, values, worldviews
  2. Ingenuity – innovate and adapt to embrace a changing world
  3. Love – engage others with a positive, loving attitude
  4. Heroism – energize the self and others through heroic ambitions

Isn’t it encouraging that we don’t have to memorize various laws of leadership or different qualities of what deemed leaders possess? Also, especially with the pace at which life changes and the general craziness of the world that we live in, any helpful tips of how to move “forward, always forward, everywhere forward” is welcome (Boniface Wimmer with the clutch encouragement). Whether it is adapting to different changes in college, getting ready for graduation, or moving into a new job, the advice that this book offers is positive and uplifting. The buy-in seems simple enough and the rewards appear plentiful as there are many examples of Jesuits who have changed the world that fill the pages.

So why am I telling you about the contents of Heroic Leadership? Honestly, the main reason is because I was really moved by this book and wanted to share the wealth of knowledge it imparted. Also, learning that we are already leaders is an intriguing and amazing concept to me. This is so exciting – we have all this leadership power within our grasp and can fully come to embrace our potential with some guidance!

HOC Student Workers.jpg2015-2016 Hockey Marketing Team

Topics: leadership, jesuits, ingenuity, heroic leadership

About the Alumni Blog

On our alumni blog, young graduates of Saint Vincent College share their thoughts, stories and tips on life after graduation.

Business graduates of Saint Vincent College

 

Visit our Career Center page

 

Join the Community

Subscribe to this Blog

 

Give to SVC Today

 

Latest Posts

About the Authors

Jessica Kennedy

My name is Jessica Kennedy. I graduated from SVC in 2012 with a dual major in accounting and business management with a minor in international business. While at SVC I was on the swim team as well as being involved in SGA and SAAC. I am currently the Assistant Director of Business Affairs at the Naval Academy Athletic Association in Annapolis, Maryland, where I reside with my dog, Zoey. I also own my own photography company, KennedyPhotographyCo, where i display and sell my prints on Etsy. I still swim and have also taken up running and have ran over six half marathons in the last three years. 

Elizabeth Sosko

My name is Elizabeth Susko, and I am a 2015 graduate of Saint Vincent College (mathematics major with a secondary education certification). After Saint Vincent, I moved away and became a high school Math teacher in the Northern VA area. I couldnt imagine being where I am today and I hold some of that journey to being a Bearcat.  Cant wait to share my daily adult life (post-undergrad) experiences with you!

Megan DePrimio

Hello there! My name is Megan DePrimio, and I am a 2013 graduate of Saint Vincent College (communication major and English minor). I also have a master’s degree in sports management from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. After grad school, I became an athletics marketing intern at the University of Notre Dame and I now work in Development. Every day I am amazed at the path I have been on since I was a young Bearcat. Even the planner in me couldn’t have forecasted this journey! Happy to be here. 

 

Allyson Lambert graduated from Saint Vincent in December 2013 with a degree in finance. She currently works in the Financial Leadership Development (FLD) Program at PPG Industries in Reno, Nevada.