Can a 480-Year-Old Religious Order Teach Modern Leadership?

After recently spending five weeks discussing fascism and fascist leaders with the lifelong learners in CSU East Bay's OLLI program, several participants asked whether I might offer something a bit more positive, and considerably less depressing, on the subject of leadership.

There is certainly no shortage of leadership books, workshops, and management theories. Having led more than a few of those programs myself over the years, I could easily build a presentation around the latest business guru or corporate success story. Instead, I plan to turn to a far less obvious source.

What can a 480-year-old religious order teach us about leadership in the twenty-first century?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

Ignatius in his armor
in a 16th-century painting

The Jesuits, formally known as the Society of Jesus, were founded in 1540 by Ignatius Loyola, a wounded soldier whose personal transformation inspired him to gather a small group of companions committed to service, learning, and personal growth.  From these modest beginnings emerged a worldwide organization that established schools and universities, explored distant cultures, advanced scientific knowledge, and influenced societies across the globe.

Their success raises an intriguing question: How did a relatively small group of individuals build an institution that has flourished for nearly five hundred years?

One answer comes from Chris Lowney, a former Jesuit seminarian and business executive, whose book Heroic Leadership argues that the order's remarkable longevity stemmed not from wealth, hierarchy, or organizational charts, but from its distinctive approach to developing leaders. The Jesuits believed something radical, both in the sixteenth century and in our own: leadership is not reserved for people with titles. Every member was expected to exercise leadership, whether teaching in a classroom, negotiating with political authorities, conducting scientific inquiry, or traveling to unfamiliar cultures. Their approach focused less on techniques and strategies and more on the formation of the individual, on character development.  

Although rooted in sixteenth-century history, the Jesuit experience speaks directly to contemporary concerns. In an age marked by rapid technological change, social polarization, and growing skepticism toward institutions, the challenge of developing principled and effective leaders remains as relevant as ever.

Ultimately, Heroic Leadership invites us to ask a fundamental question: What qualities enable individuals not merely to achieve success, but to be effective leaders who make a lasting, positive difference in the lives of others? More importantly, it asks us to consider the possibility that leadership is available to all of us, and that each of us can leave the world a little better than we found it.

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Heroic Leadership: What the Jesuits Can Teach Us About Leadership, Character, and Purpose

Online via Zoom

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)

California State University – East Bay

Tuesday, February 23, 2027 – 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

 (It is too early to register. I'll update you when registration opens up.)