Column Title: Leadership Life Stories: Communicating and Leading through Your Story
Column Entry: “Listening Before the Miracle: Leadership, Communication, and Naaman”
By Chris Hamstra, PhD, Davenport University
Description: There is a power when people come together to share stories. As people of faith, the practice and process of storytelling helps us understand ourselves, our communities, and our organizations. When combined with leadership, stories provide examples of how to serve authentically. This column brings people around the virtual campfire to explore the concept of leadership life stories and how to learn to engage people in the classroom and boardroom with wit and wisdom.
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Listening Before the Miracle: Leadership, Communication, and Naaman
It’s good to be back and reengage with the CCSN columns about leadership life stories. Since the release of In Their Steps I have gone through a wave of emotions: excitement, nerves, gratitude, and activity, lots of activity!
Recently, I have been spending time with the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Most see this as a story of healing. I noticed the conversations and the missed moments of communication that lead up to the miracle. I’m struck by how often God speaks through unexpected people. God’s message repeatedly arrives through voices that are dismissed or ignored. As communication scholars and practitioners, I wonder, are we teaching the skills to speak well and to listen faithfully when truth comes from unexpected places?
Listening to Voices Around Naaman
The moment we see Naaman, he is a powerful leader and commander of the army of Aram. He has authority. He has success on the battlefield. Yet, despite all of his accomplishments, he suffers from leprosy. After hearing from an Israelite servant girl about the prophet Elisha, Naaman travels to Israel for healing. Instead of meeting him personally, Elisha sends a messenger instructing Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman gets angry at the response and walks away. Scripture does not tell us how long this back and forth last but eventually Naaman washes in the Jordan seven times and is healed. The story ends here with Naaman coming to Elisha for a face-to-face conversation.
In this story, I’m struck by the communication events: we see a young servant girl, Elisha’s messenger, Naaman’s own servants, and finally Elisha himself. Every important turn comes through a voice that Naaman could have easily ignored and walked away from. While God speaks, Naaman is not yet ready to listen. Thankfully, Naaman had multiple chances to final hear the message.
As communication scholars, we understand that meaning is not created in isolation. Leadership life stories are formed through relationships, conversations, listening, and shared experiences. Naaman’s story reminds us that transformation often begins when we become attentive to voices we might otherwise overlook.
How often do we do something similar in the classroom or in our professional lives…or can I be bold and suggest in our families?
Learning When My Role Was to Listen
I’ll confess that I spend an amazing amount of time thinking about and planning what I say: in the classroom, at conferences, in individual conversations. Being honest, I spend little time thinking about and practicing my listening skills. How can I be present in body and mind with people in my life?
Part of the activity since the book release has been opportunities to reconnect with former students. I’m hearing from people I haven’t had in class in 5, 10, and in one case 18 years!
Matt was a specific blessing. I remember Matt as a returning student after his self-proclaimed “involuntary time away from society.” His relationship with Jesus became personal to him after some time incarcerated. I remember those early conversations after class as he recalibrated his journey.
At our breakfast I arrived ready to speak and share insight from the book. Instead, I discovered my role was to listen. Much like Naaman’s story, Matt’s story became a reminder that growth often comes through conversations we did not expect to have and wisdom we did not anticipate receiving.
I’ve watched Matt’s life grow the past 10 years through updates on socials, I’ve seen him build a business, serve his community, and start a family. Over coffee and scrambled eggs, it was a joy to hear him describe his journey, his learning, and the deepening faith.
Matt’s story reminded me of something I emphasize in these posts, leadership life stories are developed through co-created meaning in relationship with others. Much like Naaman in scripture and Matt over breakfast, we discover who we are not only through our own stories but through the stories of others and ultimately through God’s work in our lives.
Listening in the Classroom
As I sit over the Summer and think about the Fall classes, I wonder if I’m helping create an environment for conversation and listening to create shared meaning? Especially with those unexpected voices in the learning environment that I need to learn from: the quiet student in the back row. The first-generation learner navigating unfamiliar territory. The student-athlete balancing academics and athletics. What can I do to encourage these voices so that I can learn as well?
Encouragement: Voices We May Be Overlooking
As you think about your conversations this week and prepare for classes in the Fall, let me encourage you to consider one voice you may be overlooking. For me, instead of reviewing notes to speak more clearly, I’m going to spend time listening more carefully.