Author: BJ Gonzalvo, PhD
Submitted: August 31, 2017
Tell us a little about yourself. BJ Gonzalvo is an author and an organizational psychologist. He's the author of "Lessons in Leadership From the Saints." He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife and 2 young children.
What was your motivation behind this project? Leadership scholars and experts noted that there is a leadership crisis out there. And indeed, this crisis is happening on many different levels. On one level, people are hesitant to step up to lead. On another level, people who step up don't have good leadership examples to model after.
But did you know that there is a treasure trove of leadership examples and templates etched in the lives of the saints who did step up to the call to lead?
In this book, I wanted to explore these examples and stories of leadership. Despite the fact that many of these are from times much different than ours, what I find is that these are actually quite timely and more relevant than ever. I think these are stories and examples of leadership that simply transcend time and culture!
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? This book hopes to inspire people to respond not only to the call to leadership but also to the call to be holy.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? What started as a curious business question turned out to be a joyous exploration of the lives of the saints. And just like anyone who reads the lives of the saints, I was moved. I felt the need to share their examples of how to lead for we need them now more than ever.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Who wouldn't be inspired by the humble leadership of Mother Teresa or of Saint Francis? Who wouldn't be inspired by the authentic leadership of Saint Ignatius? Who wouldn't be inspired by the gritty leadership of Saint Joan of Arc? These are my sources of inspiration not only for wanting to be a leader but for writing and sharing their examples.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: The stories of the saints transcend time, place, and culture. This book is meant for leaders and non-leaders, for Catholics and non-Catholics, for Christians and non-Christians.
