LEADERSHIP AND SELF-CARE

ABSTRACT This article is the result of a comparative analysis on the topic of Leadership and the need to take care of oneself, bringing a present contribution to the topic within ecclesiastical organizations. The contemporary Church has increasingly demanded more from leaders, both in the organizational, spiritual, emotional and other spheres of society. Being an effective leader involves not only technical skills and management abilities, but also the development of a healthy spirituality, ethical awareness and adequate self-care. The objective of this article refers to the process of self-management, in which the leader dedicates himself to improving his physical, mental and emotional well-being. This strategic practice seeks to promote the health and resilience of the leader, allowing him to perform his role more efficiently and healthily. There are several aspects of self-care that we could address, such as physical, mental and emotional health. In this article, we will only discuss the self-care that leaders need for their physical and emotional health, because if their emotions are sick, they will reflect on their exterior. So, how can they take care of people when they are sick? Their emotional and physical weakness can influence decision-making, communication, emotional intelligence, team engagement and compromise the outcome of the mission. As a result, we will examine different self-care approaches and strategies that can be adopted by leaders, including exercising, seeking a healthy work-life balance, cultivating meaningful relationships and developing self-reflection skills.