As part of our programme to share ideas and reviews about leadership across the country, the FCL held its fifth regional consultation in Portsmouth for the southern dioceses on March 24^th 2009.

FCL made two presentations. In the first he examined definitions of leadership, five ways in which leadership can be understood and the ways in which Jesus can be seen as someone who ‘’built’ a team of disciples. In his second presentation he described what has been found to work in the reviews which FCL has conducted of diocesan leadership programmes. These are contained in the FCL Leadership Review booklet No 5 Revealing Leadership.

View FCL’s First and Second Powerpoint presentations.

In a pre-lunchtime reflection the Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev Kenneth Stephenson, shared with delegates what it is like to take on the leadership responsibilities of being a diocesan bishop. After talking of the need to shed the constraints of previous jobs and roles he looked at the church and public responsibilities of being a diocesan bishop as: Prime Minister - giving a sense of direction and setting the tone, Monarch - being a public figure, Speaker - to ensure fair play, and Scapegoat - to absorb the projections, praise and blame attached to the role. From the Rule of St Benedict he gave us the commendation that the leader ‘must so arrange everything that the strong have something to strive for and the weak nothing to run from’. Read the full notes from the Bishop of Portsmouths reflections

Canon David Isaac, the Diocese of Portsmouth’s Director of Mission and Discipleship expanded on definitions and understandings of leadership at the beginning of the afternoon session. He then introduced a discussion on the ways in which needs of ministers can be identified in effective ways through Ministerial Review processes. Frameworks for training and support were then examined in an extended group discussion session.

Issues for further examination which emerged included:

• The necessary balance between autonomy and responsibility which give energy to parochial ministry.
• The supportive nature of Action Learning Sets or equivalent as ways in which clergy and lay leaders can be grouped to facilitate their continuing development.
• The importance of sharing good practice across dioceses and denominations.
• Ways in which training needs can be identified and programmes developed through feed-back on issues which emerge in Ministerial development reviews.
• The place of, and the demands made on, bishops and senior staff in review programmes.
• What can be done to encourage those clergy who are reluctant to participate in any deanery or diocesan activities?
• Do such programmes as are in existence at the moment provide what is needed for training in multi-parish/benefice responsibilities?