The one who leads Salesian financial arrangements at the local or national level today takes on a task of great responsibility. The bursar is like an engine pulling a train, even though it is the provincial who sets the course through his advice.Our economy needs these "engines for life" so that the basic principles of Don Bosco’s pedagogy (reason, loving-kindness and religion) will always be a part of the economic activity of our Salesian institutions.
In all 134 countries where we are found, we note how important
it is to have:
careful management of personnel,
honest communication,
real involvement of all stakeholders in essential decisions.
Our bursars are not only decision-makers, but also companions and partners of all staff members in the leadership team.
Therefore it is important that Salesians and lay people, before being appointed as leaders in this area (with responsibility of being in charge), have already had some life experiences with young people – and this way they become engines for the Salesian spirit.
The most important leadership abilities in our Salesian institutions today are:
trust,
reason,
appreciative communication,
a healthy affection for today’s young people.
Therefore, at the sdbchangecongress, we will give a lot of emphasis to information (reports) from the individual Provinces and with all participants we will deal intensively with the topic of the recruitment and formation of personnel, since this field has become a key to a successful pedagogy and economy for Salesian works today.
Jean Paul Muller, Economer General of Salesian Congregation