Humility, Magis, and Discernment: A Jesuit Perspective on Education for Business Leadership

This paper acknowledges that there is a specifically Jesuit dimension of leadership. That dimension involves humility, the notion of the “magis,” and the process of “discernment.” All three are integral to Jesuit spirituality. The specifically Jesuit dimension of leadership can contribute to the comparative advantage available to graduates of Jesuit business schools. Since humility, the “magis,” and discernment figure prominently in the history and tradition of Jesuit spirituality, they should be part of education for business in a Jesuit university. If they are, the schools will clearly stand apart. In order to let this happen while retaining their place in the main stream and front ranks of American business education, Jesuit schools can borrow from a completely secular source the idea of “humbition” and incorporate it into the substance and style of what they have to offer.