Why Young Leaders Leave Organised Religion and How We Can Bring Them Back

by Admin · November 16, 2022

By Lindelwa Xingwana-Jabavu, Catholic wellness and leadership coach

In the twenty-first century, we find that organisational leaders are faced with much more complex challenges. The solutions that worked in the past no longer work.

I believe there is room for all those who can influence the formation of leaders, including religious institutions, to help find solutions that are relevant and can respond to twenty-first-century challenges. I will give you examples below:

Twenty-first-century leaders have to deal with diverse stakeholders that are often situated in different parts of the world and have diverse cultures. To respond to this challenge, leadership development practitioners encourage them to embrace diversity and inclusive leadership so that they can contribute meaningfully towards value creation and to ensure that they can leave the world a better place for the benefit of future generations.

Matured and highly evolved religious leaders embrace and reinforce this message.

We also see more and more executive coaches and leadership development practitioners tapping into the wisdom of mystics such as Francis of Assisi, Thomas Merton, Gandhi, Laudato Sì etc.

This is in an effort to find solutions to complex 21st-century challenges. We also see the inclusion of indigenous solutions to issues such as climate change.

Matured and highly evolved religious leaders support and lead interfaith dialogues, including dialogues with indigenous communities so as to create a better world. They realise that solutions to 21st-century challenges are far too complex and cannot be found in one religion.

Similar to leadership development practitioners, matured religious leaders reinforce African Leadership theories such as Ubuntu and the gift it has become to the whole world.

I believe the world needs a loving God, a merciful God, and an inclusive God. In their pure and highly evolved form, most religions represent this God who loves unconditionally. At a time when the world is hurting, the world is not looking for an unapproachable angry God who is out to punish the world.

Young leaders are looking for God. In fact, the world is looking for a loving God.

Lindelwa Xingwana-Jabavu is the managing director of Lilitha Coaching and Consulting, a Gauteng-based executive coaching consultancy which specialises in executive coaching and team coaching.