Q and A With Dr. Dan Ebener

SETTING THE PACE
CHANGING THE COURSE

Catholic Charities USA | 2014 Annual Gathering | October 4-7 | Charlotte, NC
2050 Ballenger Avenue Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 | www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org
Q. You have held a number of positions in Church ministry with smaller faith based organizations,
a Catholic university, a diocese, and a Catholic Charities agency. How do you envision your
career as a Director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Davenport impacting your retreat with us,
Blessings for Leaders?
A. Leadership happens when you (1) feel passionate about changing something and (2) begin
infuencing others to join you. At that moment ... you are leading! When I was Catholic Charities
Director, I felt passionate about changing a lot of things. My frst instinct was to lead others by
inspiring, motivating and getting people involved in organized activities, whether charitable or for
social change.

A watershed moment came when Harry Fagan of the Roundtable for Social Action Directors
stated, If you are not developing leaders, you might as well get out of this business. I refected
on my whole style of ministry. I realized that the real measure of leadership was not how many
followers you are leading but how many leaders you are developing.

This realization led me to the place where I am now: teaching leadership, writing books about
leadership, and doing leadership trainings all over the country. I am passionate about the
need for social change and believe that it will happen when we develop the leadership for that
change.
Q. Pope Francis encourages us to be joyful in our ministry. What brings you joy in your service to
the People of God?
A. Joy comes in serving others. Joy comes in losing ourselves in the struggles of others, with
empathy closely tied to those who are suffering, and when we forget about our own selfsh
needs and desires. This is what the word solidarity means. It is a key concept throughout
Catholic social teaching as well as the gospel of Matthew, which will be a focus for our retreat.

An Interview with Dr. Dan R. Ebener, Oct. 4, 2014 Institute Retreat Presenter
Blessings for Leaders: Leadership
Wisdom from the Beatitudes of Jesus
SETTING THE PACE
CHANGING THE COURSE
Catholic Charities USA | 2014 Annual Gathering | October 4-7 | Charlotte, NC
2050 Ballenger Avenue Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 | www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org
Q. Who can beneft from the retreat Blessings for Leaders? How do you see the days
participants growing in their faith as Catholic Charities staff and outside of the offce?
A. Since the book was published two years ago, I have met with about 100 groups to refect and
discuss the connections between the Beatitudes and leadership. I have learned so much from
these experiences and look forward to deepening my own understanding when we open the
Word together and refect on our leadership at Catholic Charities.

I will make this experience very engaging and interactive. That is not only my style of teaching.
It is a philosophy of leadership. Interaction is both content and process to leadership: If we
defne leadership as voluntary and interactive, then our teaching of it needs to be voluntary and
interactive.

Q. What prompted you to adopt the Beatitudes as a source for inspiration for you which you in
turn desire to share with others?
A. After my frst book on servant leadership, Bishop Martin Amos of Davenport suggested that I
develop a parish servant leadership retreat. I was using the Beatitudes as an opening refection
at a parish in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It generated so much conversation that it took fve and a half
hours to get through them. Driving home that evening, I realized there was a book here.
For more information about the Institute retreat Blessings for Leaders, contact Steve Herro,
Manager of Mission and Ministry, Catholic Charities USA, 571-814-4923. To register for the
retreat, click here.
Dan currently serves as Associate Professor of Organizational
Leadership, St. Ambrose University. Prior to this position, he
directed Catholic Charities, Davenport. He holds two graduate
degrees from St. Ambrose University, a Doctorate in Business
Administration, Organizational Leadership, and Servant Leader-
ship and a Masters of Social Work.
Dr. Dan R. Ebener, Davenport, Iowa

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SETTING THE PACE

CHANGING THE COURSE

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