As a young adult I developed the idea that, unless I felt strongly about something, I might as well not vote, or volunteer or even voice my opinion in meetings. I have come to believe that this is in my Swiss genes. My mother, a non-Swiss, used to say that the Swiss are just to stubborn to fight. But I have come to see the great value in remaining neutral. In fact, I have come to make it a hallmark of my leadership. I am a minister leading a small church and I truly believe that the church was here before I arrived and will be here after I depart. My role as a leader is to facilitate the vision and call of my people, not to inflict my vision upon them. I have come to take a neutral stand on most of the issues that we consider. This allows me to stand between people of different opinions and encourage their conversations. It allows me to be a trusted leader without the fear of a secret agenda. It allows me to build trust between those of differing convictions. Finally it allows me coax the gifts and visions from my people. Leadership, I have come to believe, is not so much about a strong vision and a fierce will. It is about being neutral and standing in the middle, seeking what is best for all. Perhaps it is my Swiss heritage the enables me to stand on neutral ground, perhaps not. But I am proud to know that I am from a stock of people who deeply understand that their is power to remaining neutral.
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