12: Leading Cross Culturally in a Faith-based International Non-government Organization

My leadership journey in international development over the past 35 years has provided a diverse and eye-opening exposure to the real-life challenges faced by people living in difficult economic and social settings. I have had the privilege of working with many highly committed and qualified people from multiple countries. Working together in multicultural teams, we have utilized our different perspectives in pursuing common objectives.

Understanding my journey requires first clarifying the specific sector of international development I work in: economic development from a faith-based perspective. Both parts of this description are important to the way I lead. First, this affects what we identify as the ultimate long-term goal of our work. Our organizational vision is to see communities living in right relationships with God, one another, and creation. We work toward this vision by sharing God’s love and compassion for all by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. Thus, while we desire to see people’s living standards improve, we want this to happen within the context of improved relationships; one of these without the other is insufficient.