The current Pope of the former Roman but now global Catholic Church has visited the USA for the first time ever. I am not a Catholic with a capital C; only one by admission of the Nicene Creed of all, if not most, Christians.

In a previous column , I began an argument about what constitutes a real and true paradigm shift; the concept made popular by Thomas Kuhn. He argued that a real paradigm shift would be reflected through new exemplars of the new worldview. Let me now try to argue that the current ‘immigrant’ (or ‘pendatang’), Argentinean Pope of the Catholic Church who may have demonstrated good leadership by example of this needed shift in paradigm.

Let me try and argue why I truly think that this is really so. Firstly, he argued, and admitted, that he is a sinner like everyone else and also declared that he is a migrant to his home country and therefore identified with feelings of all immigrants. We are all travellers on God’s earth and we are only passing through!

This ‘appears to starkly contrast’ with the doctrine of ‘Papal Infallibility’, which is sometimes argued as context of defence of Catholic Church doctrines. The Pope is the institutional head, and Francis, the man, elected by God and selected by men to lead the Catholic Church; this time around.

Actually, for students of organisational dynamics, the real perceptive difference is the man himself, who has publicly declared that he subscribes to all Church Doctrine unquestionably; but, in his personality, style, humility, and love, has expressed grace, peace and love to all those who meet the man; and they are consequently genuinely excited to have met this amazing man.

New transformative leadership

It appears that the Pope was able to address both Houses of the US Congress; and leave without having violated any political boundaries in the battle between Republicans versus Democrats dialogue or debate; and, they were all more than present in the assembly. The catholic presence of the Pope made all this even more real; as it has completely reframed the current black versus white rhetoric emerging now in America. May God bless America.

One author of a book on Christian Doctrines on TV even called this Pope Francis the “new Nelson Mandela”. CNN argued that the Pope’s speech was electric but represented a non-partisan moment which received many standing ovations from the full house.

He seemed to always use the personal heart language of sincerity and hope to speak truth which most communicates to all and every human being. On top of all of this, he spoke in English in given circumstances, as needed; which is not even his mother tongue. The Pope had a right to speak in Italian or Argentinian Spanish, as his mother tongue.

At Madison Square Garden thousands joined the local cardinals to celebrate the Holy Communion with the Pope leading as chief servant of the Lord. The welcoming and presiding US bishop said, “We pray for Francis every time we pray, but today we get to welcome you, personally!” The response clapping of the reality and efficacy of this welcome went on for well over two minutes.

The Pope’s retort, “please continue to pray for me.” Standing ovations again. Prayer is always the means and process of seeking God’s favour and seeking to remain in his gracious favour.

The changing of a caterpillar into a butterfly is probably the most accurate representation of any true and full transformation process most visibly. Any transformative leader will be able to take the followership from where they are in the present to a newer yet to be realised reality which then becomes their hope for the future.

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To be fair and honest, Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( photo ) did some of that for Malaysia when he originally launched the Bangsa Malaysia Agenda in 1981. That is our agenda and strategy to become a fully developed nation-state by the year 2020. That became a vision of and for all Malaysians, and I think, and was well branded as Vision 2020.

Unfortunately, the new 1Malaysia attempt is a poor replica of a similar failed attempted and it has now become a dismal failure. No one except taxi-drivers seems to want to identify with 1Malaysia. Even that is limited to only the sticker on their taxis.

Whither leadership for Malaysia?

In the field of organisation and management, we argue, all organisations lose energy and synergy over time, as stated goals and their vision frays, and people get tired, and their systems become more corrupt because of built-in inefficiencies embedded within their systems. Then, when this happens, it is time for fundamental and radical reorganisation and retooling all resources with new vision and new hope.

Just review the current case of the former Selangor MB who still says, “I am innocent” after being found guilty of corruption by all three layers of courts, and as he has been jailed.

Therefore, I fully agree with my good friend and ally Harris Ibrahim that ABU is the Malaysian problem of poor political leadership by Umno and therefore he advocates the slogan: ‘Anything (or Anyone) But Umno’. With his permission I will argue that we need a newer slogan called AABB or Anything or Anyone But Barisan.

BN has fully and effectively demonstrated to all Malaysians their current false and incipit leadership model; when they do not agree but they do not know how to agree disagreeably. MCA is being now split into confusion over an issue because one of the (truthful) branches has rejected the current validity of the leadership of Umno in BN. Even a former MCA president has supported them.

But Umno is equally in a quandary over their inability to vote out their president because of the rules were radically changed by Dr Mahathir to continue to be in power years ago. So, all Dr Mahathir can now do is to blog and express his views. But that is the nature of true democracy. At least he speaks for change and improvement; even if it may be too late. Maybe he should write ‘The Dumno Dilemma’.

Influence, not power, is new currency

While money was the currency of political leadership of the past to achieve authority; it was always be used to ‘buy power for authority’. With unlimited money one can ‘buy influence’. Today things are different.

The difference is this: power can always be abused when authority is a factor; but influence is only guided by willing and voluntary compliance but never by compulsion. Information and knowledge is the new power. Moral authority is the soft new power and the Pope exuded this.

So, what then is the way forward for Malaysian political leadership; regardless of which side you are in? My answer is as follows: The paradigm of global reality has shifted. Today you have social media technology which is like knowledge at fingertips. Although, not yet fully ‘knowledge,’ we will soon get there. Today information/knowledge is available in a single tap. Tomorrow one can even access knowledge with a tap when it becomes a utility.

Knowledge on tap is a frightening reality because when you are speaking ‘truths’; such real and accessible truths are only a tap away.

Ask your children any question, and if they are connected vide the social media, they simply tap away and before long you get an answer and a real and true family conversation can begin.

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If one has no knowledge, or one’s connection with such realities is absent, then it is simply too late. Your leadership mettle then has no more value since authority has now moved away towards those who have moral authority because of their knowledge of the subject of concern. That is why former minister Rafidah Aziz ( photo ) could give an education to the current minister in the right direction for a appreciation of current global realities.

Leadership relying simply on authority or power of position alone cannot become a positive influence for change because people are now truly independent thinkers and understand democratic values more because of social media.

They also know they are in control of both information and knowledge which they can choose to access and learn from. Learning can now become a never-ending and life-long process. My greatest education tool now is the TV with many live stories.

The Pope has shown the real meaning of a new transformative model of servant leadership. That is a requisite today for all real change. No political leader worth his weight can only rely on authority of position, or power, or money to gain influence. Power through authority or money has lost its influence; globally.