Leadership Development in the Context of Nepal: A Narrative Analysis of the Stories of Non-Christian Jesuit Alumni Leaders

• Main Author: Thomas, SJ, Fr. Augustine
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2019
• Subjects: Leadership development, Jesuit education, non-Christian context, Ignatian
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/theses-dissertations/446
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Jesuit education has a long-standing legacy of forming students, especially Catholics, to be effective leaders in all walks of life. But, can Jesuit education be effective when imparted to the students of other faith? This research focused on two questions: a.) How did Jesuit education help the non-Christian students grow as leaders in the Hindu/Buddhist religious context of Nepal?, and b.) What are the socio-cultural elements that influenced the leadership development of the students in Nepal? Through the framework of narrative identity, this study analysed the narratives of eight prominent non-Christian Jesuit alumni leaders in Nepal. The result indicated that the leadership identity of these leaders emerged at pre-adult stage from multiple domains, namely from home and school. However, leadership qualities and traits were developed during their life in the Jesuit school. Certain values repeatedly appear in the narratives namely, “doing the right thing”, “empathize”, “be compassionate”, “be truthful”, and “be just”, all reflect that the Jesuit education formed them to be compassionate and ethical in life. These qualities are strongly embedded in the way they lead and how they perceive their role as leaders in their organisations today. The narratives also posit that living in extended families instilled in these leaders the foundational elements for developing positive traits such as hard work, discipline, adaptability to situations and developing interpersonal relationships.