Compassion, empathy and the confidence to put the needs of people before bureaucracy are the traits common to successful leaders in Wales, the Archbishop of Wales said today.

Delivering the keynote address at the Leading Wales Awards, Dr Barry Morgan said good leadership was about putting spiritual values at the heart of organisations – believing in people, recognising their gifts, inspiring them to achieve and valuing their contribution.

This was the sixth year of the Awards and for the second year running the Church in Wales sponsored the Business Leadership in the Community category.

Dr Morgan said, “The world of business often uses spiritual, even religious, language.  Businesses talk about the need for vision and having a mission plan.  They talk of the spiritual architecture of their business.  In fact the literal meaning of the word ‘company’ is a place where people ‘share bread with each other’.

“This highlights the fact that personal relationships are crucial in business.  People need to feel valued and cared for as people in their own right, not as cogs in a machine.  When that happens they feel they matter, have a contribution to make and that enhances their sense of wellbeing which in turn affects their attitude to everything and everyone else.  This is a religious concept, because Christians maintain that that’s the attitude of God towards His people and ought to be our attitude towards one another…….

“At the basis of our behaviours are our beliefs and values.  It is crucial that leaders create the right space, not only to enable peoples’ competencies and skills to develop, but for something more basic and human in each of us.”

Dr Morgan warned that red tape often hampers effective leadership, particularly in the public services. He said, “We too easily become stifled by the contemporary demands for economic rationalism and accountability.  In the midst of recent crises we’ve realised more clearly than ever before that good leadership has a spiritual not an economic bottom line and we need more of it in the public services of Wales.”

Good leaders, he said, needed to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to help transform Wales: “Nominees in these Awards are making a difference and through their motivation create a more confident, inclusive workforce, driving the economic and social future of Wales.

“In a devolved Wales we share a responsibility with the Welsh Assembly Government to confront challenges and to work with courage and determination to transform them.  We celebrate the personal achievements of those nominated today as we give thanks for their vision in facing the complexity of modern society.  Their vision assists us all to raise the bar on the quality of our own leadership.”

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