The Kenotic Organization: A Community of Leadership, Learning, and Transformation

By Brian E. Ruffner

Although organizations frequently proclaim the desire for change, renewal and transformation, few ever fully embrace those ideas, failing to rise above more than mere mediocrity and never realizing even a fraction of their true potential. Certainly, many pontificate on the nature of organizations as they live and breathe, so to speak; yet, few question how the organization ought to be. This ought belies the existential and ethical dimensions of organizing and, as such, points to a discipline not often associated with the organizational realm–theology. To this end, the concept of the kenotic organization offers a much-needed antidote to the syndrome described above. Drawing on the divine Trinitarian kenosis observed in the creation event and witnessed in the Incarnation, the simultaneous actions of self-limiting and pouring out inform the organizational cause and expose a deeply entangled organizational mesh enveloping the entire cosmos which can serve as a catalyst to excite preferred organizational behaviors. It is, in fact, the humility of Trinitarian kenosis, the willingness to withdraw but also at once pour out the individual essence, that generates the thrust necessary to escape the gravitational pull of convention which typical inhibits organizational flourishing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664267213

Brian E. Ruffner

A former Marine, Brian Ruffner has led teams and organizations since he was just barely older than a teenager. Also a seminary graduate and having completed his doctorate in strategic leadership where he focused his research on organizational leadership and development, he brings a unique perspective and extensive practical experience, situated in between the realms of organizational science and theology, to the forefront of understanding how organizations tick and negotiate the transition from ordinary to extraordinary. Currently serving as Vice President of Global Service Delivery for a Fortune 1000 company, Dr. Ruffner continues to explore the practical application of biblical principles within the organizational environment in his research, writing, and vocation.

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CONTENTS

Abstract

Abbreviations

Introduction

Enter the Organizational Theologian

Character of the Text

Purpose and Trajectory

PART 1: FOUNDATIONS

Chapter 1: Organizational Superheroes and Other Myths

The Myth of the Heroic Leader

A Brief Interlude on the Theology of Leadership

The Myth of the Organization as Machine

The Illusion of Control

Chapter 2: The Beauty of Paradox

Embracing Paradox

A Matter of Control

Vulnerable Authority

An Organizational Constant

Chapter 3: Organization Ex Nihilo

Creation Ex Nihilo

Trinitarian Kenosis

Organizational Incarnation

Chapter 4: An Entangled Community

Organizational Incoherence

The Entangled Organization

Complex Adaptive Systems

Quantum Entanglement

Dialogue

Chapter 5: The Kenotic Organization

Relational Leadership

Relational Entanglement

Organizational Kenosis

From Kenosis to Plerosis

A Foundation Built of Stone

PART 2: APPLICATION

Chapter 6: Kenotic Leadership

Kenotic Substance

Kenotic Identity

Case Study: Christ

Chapter 7: Kenotic Structure

Habits of Hierarchy

Flat versus Tall

Relational Networks

Conciliar Bridges

Case Study: The Mayo Clinic

Chapter 8: Kenotic Exchange

Dialogic Containers

Generative Image

Small-Group Mentoring

Scenario Planning

Case Study: Royal Dutch Shell

Chapter 9: Kenotic Transformation

Deep Structure

Deep Organizational Incarnation

Deep Dialogic Inquiry

Organizational Greenhouses

Kenotic OD

Humble Beginnings

Case Study: The Church

Chapter 10: Empty Never Felt So Full

A Kenotic Ethic

Celebrating the Whole Person

Freedom to Fail

Abounding Grace

Converting Uncertainty

Case Study: 3M

Running on Empty

A Kenotic Labor Complete

Bibliography

ABSTRACT

Although organizations frequently proclaim the desire for change, renewal, and transformation, few ever fully embrace those ideas, failing to rise above more than mere mediocrity as a result. While the literature quite literally abounds with theoretical prescriptions meant to heal such malaise, most organizations continue to limp along never realizing even a fraction of their true potential. Certainly, many pontificate on the nature of organizations as they live and breathe, so to speak, yet few question how the organization ought to be. This ought belies the existential and ethical dimensions of organizing and, as such, points to a discipline not often associated with the organizational realm—theology. To this end, the kenotic organization offers a much-needed corrective to the syndrome described above. Drawing on the Trinitarian kenosis observed in the creation event and witnessed in the incarnation, the simultaneous actions of self-limiting and pouring out inform the organizational cause and expose a deeply entangled organizational mesh enveloping the entire cosmos which can serve as a catalyst to excite preferred organizational behaviors. It is, in fact, the humility of Trinitarian kenosis, the willingness to withdraw but also at once pour out the individual essence, that generates the thrust necessary to escape the gravitational pull of convention that typical inhibits organizational flourishing. Peering deeper into kenosis, the intersection of science and theology come clearly into focus as complexity and dialogic theories affirm the kenotic paradox of limiting and pouring out as a precursor to exceeding organizational abundance. Applying kenosis as the primordial organizing ingredient, recommended principles for organizational leadership, design, development, learning, transformation, and innovation emerge for due consideration.

ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION

ENTER THE ORGANIZATIONAL THEOLOGIAN

My Christian journey began much like that of the apostle Paul, as one born out of due time.¹ As one born out of due time indeed. Despite not having been raised in a religious household, I always possessed an innate belief and faith in God, although that faith would amount to nothing more than mild flirtation until much later in life. Yet I could not help but sense that somehow there was more to the situation than mere logic could discern. Perpetually on the tip of my tongue, so to speak, this lingering feeling that a crucial aspect was absent from my worldview (even though I could not, at that time, describe it in this way) haunted my existence. To say haunted simply means an elusive, nagging thought lurking in the back of my mind that the full picture was not yet in view but a picture, nonetheless, for which I had no adequate means of expression. So I was caught in between two worlds: the conventional, secular world and another unseen world softly beckoning me toward an ultimate confrontation with all of my existing assumptions as to what constituted reality. Only much later would I become a bona fide believer and subsequently attend seminary in order to theologically educate myself.

Likewise, my leadership journey began long before I realized. Looking back, the steps seem mysteriously ordered now, but in those moments, it was not at all clear that I would be called to carry the burden and privilege of leadership. As a child from a blue-collar upbringing, leadership constituted a black-and-white affair—one of bosses on one side and everyone else who simply carried out orders on the other. Eventually enlisting in the Marine Corps as a young man, my vision of leadership began to expand significantly.

Although the Marine Corps, like any military institution, relies on hierarchical structure, the ingrained leadership ethos also encourages, perhaps counter to popular imagination, a certain healthy disregard for rigid rules and structures. Warfare demands, by its very nature, extreme flexibility in the face of constantly and rapidly changing circumstances. As a result, Marine leadership consists, paradoxically, of both firm intent and an emergent orientation that responds pragmatically to unfolding events as dictated by the situation.² Even more importantly, the Marine leadership ethos rests on the principle that every individual must know how to lead, given the perils of combat frequently require even the most junior personnel to step forward with little forewarning.³ Such a leadership foundation has served me well but, at times, has put me at odds with traditional styles and approaches based strictly on top-down power and control.

Hence, most of my career as an organizational leader in corporate America has been spent within the nexus of these two perspectives, often much to my chagrin, however. Indeed, like Moses, I have been, at times, a somewhat unwilling participant in the realm of formal leadership,⁴ opting to work as an individual contributor on numerous occasions only to be called back into service as a designated leader. I mention that not to boast but only to underscore the ambivalence, perhaps even a certain degree of distrust, with which I have approached formal leadership. For this reason, it was not until the end of graduate studies that I began to seriously contemplate leadership in both an academic and theological sense. Only at that time did I become vaguely aware of an emerging scholarly groundswell seeking to pinpoint the locus of a biblically centered leadership ethic.

Truth be told, the practice and study of leadership have, up to this point, presented an enigma—a living contradiction of sorts. As much as many have proclaimed to uncover the secrets of leadership, just as many have admitted in sheer exasperation that little if any agreement exists as to the basic character, intent, and motions underlying leadership as a discipline.⁵ A regrettable situation, to be sure, the idea that something as seemingly pervasive and obvious as leadership could be understood so little leads to severe frustration and dissatisfaction with current and popular explanations. Coupled with a latent disposition to assume, despite ample evidence to the contrary, that leadership arises from individual impetus and a propensity to blissfully overlook the fallout resulting from a veritable epidemic of ethical failures across the organizational landscape⁶ (both of which will be discussed at length), it is of little wonder as to why such difficulty lies in locating an appropriate foundation for leadership to rest upon.

To be clear, prevailing leadership theories still view leadership primarily as an act of individual will exercised passively or assertively upon the rest of the organization rather than as the outcome of a relational process.⁷ An unfortunate implication of scientific management, the notion that cause and effect result neatly from a linear and therefore predictable relationship, has led to a skewed perspective of individual leadership efficacy.⁸ Likewise, organizational ethics have been influenced heavily by secularism and its corollary, relativism, leading to a rather appalling sense of justice within organizational boundaries.⁹ Together, these forces have, in reality, only weakened the practice and created a severe leadership vacuum.

Of course, to say that this presents a disturbing picture of leadership would be an understatement of epic proportions. Yet in both cases, the lack of proper orientation undermines and obscures a more robust, realistic, and ultimately adequate depiction of how leadership operates and produces positive outcomes—one grounded in a view that sees leadership as a relational process embedded deep within the very marrow of the organization.¹⁰ The question remains, however, as to how to appropriate such a vision of organizational leadership. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the modern psyche’s (especially the Western mind) penchant to understand leadership from a linear and individualistic perspective¹¹ subverts and diverts attention away from a more concrete and meaningful explanation.

Alas, as with all things, going back to the beginning offers a helpful launching pad for chipping away at the linear, individualistic veneer and exposing the relational core underneath. Even still, for the Christian, such a relational core must emanate from the very nature of God.¹² That is, man, created in the image of God, reflects the divine character, and as such, human institutions like the practice of leadership must derive from that character as well.¹³ It is within the tension of these theological sensibilities, extensive practical leadership experience, and intense dissatisfaction with the inadequacies of leadership theory that I have longed for a more complete answer of significantly greater substance and authenticity. To that end, I suppose I have assumed the role of an organizational theologian of sorts, attempting to unite these two worlds into a cohesive theo-organizational worldview and, hopefully, offering a formidable and credible response to the elusive enigma of leadership that I and many others have long sought after.

CHARACTER OF THE TEXT

Arriving at a satisfactory explanation amounts to no small affair, however. Indeed, anything worthwhile, as the cliché goes, comes at a price; delving the mysteries of leadership demands no less. At the same time, theological argumentation often skirts the jagged edge of potentially vain abstraction if not combined with a keen sense of practicality. While perfectly suitable for theologians attempting to utilize the tools of philosophy and hermeneutics to interpret and categorize biblical data into thematic structures, such an approach would prove much too dense for the ordinary organizational denizen.

THEOLOGICALLY INSPIRED—THEORETICALLY SUPPORTED

Practical theology will illuminate this enterprise to define the warp and woof of organizational leadership. An important consideration, given the objective at hand, the intensity and depth of theological examination must be carefully counterbalanced with theoretical support from organizational science in order to achieve an ideal mixture of the two perspectives. This does not imply in any way an intentional watering down of biblical content. On the contrary, as a Christian scholar-practitioner, a biblical worldview permeates the very core of my being and can no more be abandoned than the color of my eyes.

From this point of view, certain theological positions will be assumed without pretense or apology as a springboard for advancing the central thesis. On the other hand, each theological supposition or conclusion will be complemented by corresponding evidence from the organizational realm as a means to demonstrate the practical validity of biblical principles. In this way, each discipline informs and reinforces the other symbiotically into a singular paradigm for organizational life.

INTENDED FOR SECULAR AND ECCLESIAL ORGANIZATIONS ALIKE

By implication, even a system grounded in a biblical ethic can be transferred easily into the secular environment. The outcome of this endeavor rests in the hope that both ecclesial and secular organizations might benefit from the methods suggested herein. In fact, secular organizations regularly appropriate biblical principles without even knowing as many of the foundational aspects of the Judeo-Christian worldview have become deeply engrained within humanistic practices aimed at protecting individuals from suffering undue abuse within work environments.¹⁴ Fair labor practices, nondiscrimination policies, and business ethics, to name a few examples, all find at least a measure of their origin in the biblical texts.

Conversely, the church bears a long history of incorporating and synthesizing outside practices into the Christian belief system as a way of accommodating a vibrantly diverse membership without ever sacrificing core values.¹⁵ Indeed, the apostle Paul insisted rather adamantly that as long as essential beliefs remain intact, peripheral ideas might coexist in harmony.¹⁶ The point is that although the comingling of theology and organizational science may seem provocative or bizarre to some, there is a longstanding tradition of uniting the sacred and secular for the purposes of developing a more robust perspective than either view might provide alone. Of course, during the vast majority of time since Christ’s earthly ministry, theology was considered the queen of the sciences from which all other scholarly disciplines flowed.¹⁷ For this reason, secular organizational leaders need not feel obligated to accept the theological precepts or conclusions in order to take full advantage of the resulting organizational principles.

PAULINE STRUCTURE

Lastly, in terms of structure, the apostle Paul will once again light the path. A prolific writer, Paul authored over half of the New Testament and practiced a conspicuously habitual style of propounding sound doctrine in the first part of his letters and then offering practical application in the latter.¹⁸ The preferred framework for the objective at hand, laying a foundation of theological and organizational doctrine, will create a necessary bridge that will afford the opportunity to then construct a picture of how organizational life and leadership should operate.

In exposing each principle and its corresponding application, a case study of an organization exemplifying behaviors that concretely demonstrate the effectiveness of those principles in action will be supplied as well. Even more importantly, by viewing leadership through a doctrinal lens, a seemingly universal (meaning complete or whole) system of organizational values and associated behaviors begins to emerge. In the end, a theo-organizational perspective transcends conventional and antiquated notions of mere leadership¹⁹ and expands significantly beyond a rather myopically narrow field and into an entangled mesh of mutually dependent relational patterns that, ultimately, propel organizational transformation.

PURPOSE AND TRAJECTORY

A significant distinction and corrective to the traditional paradigm, rather than describing leadership as a trait, skill, or behavior, leadership arises through the dynamics, paradoxically both as a catalyst and outcome, of organizational development (OD). Leadership fuels OD while simultaneously being generated by it. Perhaps difficult to envision at first blush and tantamount to the proverbial chicken-and-egg conundrum, leadership coalesces around OD with no clear beginning or end. Like the apparent opposites of one and many only together in unison define and therefore reveal the Trinity, only together do the organization and individual working in vibrant transformative harmony determine and reveal leadership.

The words vibrant transformative harmony belie a highly ethical component as they assume an authentic and collaborative environment with momentum toward ever-increasing levels of adaptive capacity. It is this idea that true leadership must also be good,²⁰ which brings the discussion to a necessary yet pivotal turning point. If organizational development constitutes the epicenter of leadership and that core involves mutual interpenetration of thoughts, concerns, and interests, then the very character of organizational life must contain an altruistic, even sacrificial, dimension. If that sounds a bit overly theological at the moment, all will be properly explained in due course.

However, the contrast being drawn resides in a basic difference between whether organizational members give or take from one another. A typical disposition within organizational settings, the pernicious need to maintain self-interest above all else eventually cripples organizations through the creation, both intentional and inadvertent, of structures, which protect power bases and control mechanisms that perpetuate the status quo.²¹ Such a system, while obviously counterproductive, reflects an all-too-common tale within the modern organizational environment. The only suitable antidote to this malaise involves, very simply, letting go of the conventional trappings that, on the surface, seem so necessary but, upon deeper inspection, serve to imprison organizations rather than release adaptive impulses. In other words, what, from this point on, will be referred to as the kenotic organization comes sharply into view.

DID YOU SAY KENOTIC?

By definition, the term kenosis refers to a process of abandoning the prestige of stature or position in favor of a humble posture. Taken from the iconic and eloquent Christological hymn²² that Paul inserted into his discourse within the second chapter of his Epistle to the Philippian church, the Greek verb²³ literally means to give away, to relinquish, or to empty.²⁴ Although many have postulated that Christ not only actually abdicated his divine position but cast aside the very essence of his divinity as well, at least for a period of time, nothing could be further from the truth.²⁵

Rather than utterly renounce or resign his divine nature, he laid aside any claim to the inherent power and grandeur associated with his status as a divine being. That is, he refused to invoke the divine attributes for self-gain during his earthly ministry. A distinction with a significant difference and a critical consideration for organizational development and leadership, choosing to forgo the advantages of privilege demands an uncommon and rigorous discipline. While the use of the particular word carrying this sense of emptying remains sparse within the pages of the New Testament, the kenotic imprint nonetheless abounds, meaning that Paul and other writers suggest kenotic behavior routinely as an organizational pattern within the then burgeoning church.²⁶

Early evidence for this principle appears clearly within the wilderness episode, recounted in the Synoptic Gospels,²⁷ where Christ resisted the temptation to call upon his divine prerogative for the sake of personal benefit.²⁸ On the contrary, he chose to forsake those privileges in favor of a path that would ultimately necessitate the abandonment of his very life.²⁹ Incredibly, however, that act, as the hymn of Philippians 2 vividly commemorates, would lead to an extraordinary outcome resulting in cosmic implications for humanity and the symbiotic practices of OD and leadership.³⁰

In the organizational realm, such an orientation translates not only as a humble disposition but as an outpouring of everything an individual possesses toward and into those around him or her (i.e., the rest of the organization). To be clear, while the states of humility and outpouring may appear paradoxical, they both stem from a kenotic demeanor. On the one hand, individuals must limit themselves in order to create a space in between³¹ where others might express their perspectives free from disdain or reprisal. On the other, individuals must also refrain from withholding and therefore coveting power.

Undeniably the paramount concern for OD and leadership as well, the distribution of power or the lack thereof forms the crux of how and how well organizations operate and perform.³² Kenotic individuals release power and in doing so catalyze the organization for adaptive creativity and innovation. Without question, a severely challenging state to achieve, once an organization begins to act kenotically, a fullness that transcends any single individual or component begins to coalesce and generate organizational confidence and efficacy. Paradoxically, emptying leads to abundance; it is at once sacrificial and empowering. So the quest at hand finally reveals itself entirely. Indeed, the road ahead will define the very essence of the kenotic organization and how leaders and organizational members alike might develop kenotic tendencies, even within the crucible of the modern organizational environment.

A COLLEGIAL CHALLENGE TO SERVANT LEADERSHIP

One might immediately perceive parallels between the idea of the kenotic organization and servant leadership. Servant leadership as a theory began not in the biblical text but with Robert Greenleaf, a former executive from AT&T who, upon reading Hermann Hesse’s Journey to the East, realized in a somewhat epiphanic episode that genuine leadership resides in a highly relational style that emphasizes mutual agreement and collaboration versus coercive power.³³ Yet although Greenleaf’s conclusions might sound as though they are based in a Christian ethic, his writings remain primarily secular. Only later would Christian scholars appropriate the paradigm and attempt to integrate theological precepts, using Christ as the quintessential model for the servant leader.³⁴

At the same time, perhaps servant leadership requires even greater theological precision. After all, it is not enough to say that Christ leads merely as a servant, for his divine office includes not only servanthood but the roles of prophet, king, and priest as well.³⁵ From this perspective, seeking an authentic biblical explanation of OD and leadership demands delving infinitely deeper and looking not only at the nature of Christ but, in reality, the very nature of God, a nature that is Trinitarian in character.

TRINITARIAN THEOLOGY

The Trinity reveals an ineffable mystery that has both inspired and confounded theologians nearly since Christ’s crucifixion. Within the plurality of the Godhead is found, however, the code that both connects and separates every single molecule comprising the fabric of the universe.³⁶ For creation to even arise, God must first restrain himself (limit) in such a way that other creatures might