Helen Clark (Helen Elizabeth Clark), the first woman to become Prime Minister of New Zealand, once cited a “thick face” as one of the essential qualities of a 21st-century leader. Anyone who has risen to the top of a nation will have experienced just about everything imaginable. Through such a process, developing a thick skin is only natural. Strictly speaking, those who lack a thick skin would have thrown in the towel and left the political arena long before ever reaching the top.
Politics is not the only field that demands such shameless thick-skinnedness. In every sphere—society, the economy, religion, and culture—it is hard to find anyone who has achieved great success without it. Because of the shamelessness of successful people, we even hear remarks like, “Success has changed who they are.” Without a thick skin, it is impossible to be a salesperson. Without shamelessness, evangelism is not easy either. One of the essential qualities of an outstanding leader is shameless boldness.
Who, looking at the image of President Trump commonly portrayed in the media, would actually like him? He appears arrogant in the way he treats others, and rather than a warm smile, he seems to engage people with an angry expression and harsh words. In politics, “dialogue and compromise” are essential elements. Yet with President Trump, one sees little besides an aggressive push to force his own positions rather than dialogue or compromise. There is an English expression: “I hate your guts!”—which could be taken to mean, “I hate your audacity (your shamelessness)!” One of the reasons many people dislike Trump is likely his shamelessness.
Yet being shameless does not necessarily mean being unscrupulous. Trump’s strength lies in his drive to push forward what he believes is right, regardless of what people say. He has a shameless boldness that is not swayed in the slightest by others’ opinions of him. In his book If You Want to Win, Be Shameless, Cho Gwan-il even goes so far as to say that in the battlefield of life, “shamelessness is a competitive advantage.”
This kind of shameless boldness is also thoroughly required in pastoral leadership. This is not to say that pastors should become unscrupulous. But being merely kind is not enough to lead an organization like a church effectively. Leaders must overcome the weakness of being unable to act on their convictions because they are overly concerned with how others see them. If you want to be loved and approved by everyone, do not become a leader. A thick face signifies unshakable conviction, the courage that flows from it, and the toughness to stand firm in the face of any slander or hardship. A confident, tenacious captain will never hand over the helm to someone else, no matter how rough the winds and waves. When there are too many sailors, the boat ends up heading toward the mountains. But when the captain is not strong, the number of sailors inevitably multiplies. Leadership is always being challenged. In the face of such challenges, a leader must not kneel, but must hold fast to their position with almost shameless boldness, even amid mistakes and trial-and-error.
Not long ago, Trump bluntly dismissed Zelensky when he visited the White House and sent him back to Ukraine (the ethics of this act have already been debated by political experts). Eleven days later, at a high-level meeting between the United States and Ukraine held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine dramatically accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. In response, Trump “shamelessly” announced that he would soon invite Zelensky back to the White House to resume the mineral negotiations that had been left unfinished. It is this kind of “shamelessness” that accomplishes great things. I cannot recall the author, but the title of a leadership book remains etched in my mind: Leader, Have the Heart of a Lion. If a lion tried to gain the love and approval of every animal in the jungle, it would have to give up its title as king and become a rabbit instead.