By Santificarnos.com

On one hand, an executive's Christian identity is defined by his or her identity as a person and as a Christian. On the other hand, it is shaped by his or her social function as an executive.

Humans are rational beings, each made of a soul and body. They are also social beings who need others to develop and grow as people. This is the starting point for building the identity of a Christian, a person who is religious (re + ligare means "bound" to God), faithful and a voluntary follower of Christ and his Church.

A Christian is the image − through creation − of God, and the son − by adoption − of God. A Christian is the son of the Church, which is the repository of faith and the place where Christians see themselves as God's children.

All of this translates into a way of acting and the moral aspect of Christianity.

In simple terms, an executive's task could be defined as: "leading a group of people at a company for action, in order to change the situation and obtain results in an efficient manner."

These three components − managing people, acting in order to change the situation, and obtaining results in an efficient manner − are used by IESE Professor Antonio Argandoña to discuss the tasks inherent to all executives, and particularly to Catholic executives.

In keeping with these criteria, a company is, first and foremost, an organization of people serving people.

Secondly, it is a commercial organization dedicated to efficiency. In some ways, says Argandoña, economic theories regarding companies (as well as sociological, political and psychological theories) are limited in that they do not take into account some of the aforementioned components. Those theories could be considered specific cases of a more general theory.

The Christian vision of the executive and the company could be an adequate framework for that more generalized theory. It does not suffice and, of course, it does not have to be the only framework for such a theory; but it does include some elements for understanding it, as far as a human organization dedicated to serving people.

The Christian Executive's Task

People try to learn about the world through two mutually supporting means: science and faith.

For Christians, science is the same as it is for other people, but with an added function: understand the work of God and focus it toward Him. Thus, there is no reason to invent a "Christian company" but rather to see a company as a human organization that is added to God's plans for humans and to their response to the mission to "rule the earth" (Gen. 1:28).

For the Christian executive, understanding the company completely is part of his or her commitment to the truth.

Redemption adds another dimension to that sense of the world and of the company: Christ's disciple is also called upon to coredeem the world, and to continue the work of Christ and God's task of creation.

So, what should executives do if they want to live as Christians?

They should lead people not as machines, but as the children of God. They should lead people with a sense of solidarity, having them contribute to the common good of the company and of society.

Above all, they should take care of people, in every aspect involved with that task.

This must be done all the while obtaining results with efficiency (through professional competence, fairness with society, and fairness with those participating in the production) and with a sense of future, not just for the mere survival of the company, but for its development and consolidation.

The Christian vocation does not change the nature or the demands of the professional vocation of an executive. It does, however, add new and very demanding aspects.

For instance, Catholic executives are in the position to better understand their potential and limitations, strengths and weaknesses, because they have access to means beyond those available to other executives: those provided by the Christian doctrine and practice.

The company is a favorable setting for acquiring and developing moral virtues, which are, in essence, those that allow the executive to consider the needs of others, while seeing to his or her own development and that of others, and exercising his or her own sense of responsibility.

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