Interview with the Author—Uli Chi

Leading and mentoring begins with wisdom.
Those leading or mentoring others, either as businesspeople or pastors, must rely on wisdom’s guidance to lead with purpose and meaning. With insights gleaned from Scripture and decades of leadership experience, Uli Chi helps readers build this crucial foundation. Full of substantive and practical reflections, The Wise Leader both forms young leaders and teaches experienced leaders how to pass on the torch meaningfully.
Read below for an exclusive interview with Uli and gain further insight into his upcoming book,   The Wise Leader.

An Interview with the Author
Uli Chi



























For people unfamiliar with The Wise Leader , please describe your book in ten words or less.  

Ancient leadership wisdom for tomorrow’s world.  




What led you to write The Wise Leader in the first place?  

About five years ago, I was invited to co-teach a course on wisdom and leadership with a dear friend, Dr. Alec Hill, president emeritus of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, for Regent College in Vancouver’s MA in leadership, theology, and society . This course was a profound opportunity for me to delve into the biblical wisdom tradition and reflect on my leadership experiences in business and the church for explicitly Christian and more pluralistic contexts. That, in turn, became the catalyst for my book,  which I am excited to share with you.  




Who did you write this book for?  



When I wrote The Wise Leader , I had three distinct groups of readers in mind. First, I wanted to reach out to established , seasoned leaders who are concerned about their legacy and are eager to pass on their wisdom to the next generation. Second, I aimed to connect with younger, aspiring leaders searching for ways to lead with meaning and purpose. Finally, I wanted to engage with a broader audience, anyone interested in exploring how wisdom impacts life and leadership, regardless of their professional background or leadership aspirations .  



What can we learn by looking at wisdom from a biblical perspective?

Biblical wisdom is primarily focused on relationships. In today’s church and world, we often simplify the complexity and mystery of relationships with other human beings (and God) and turn them into doctrinal and political ideologies. In so doing, we do what the Scottish poet Edwin Muir warned against: “The Word made flesh is here made word again . . . And there the logical hook / On which the Mystery is impaled and bent / Into an ideological argument” ( “ The Incarnate One ” ).   
Given the complexity and mystery of genuine relationships, humility is biblical wisdom’s fundamental and animating practice. That’s particularly important for those in leadership, where how we use power is always an issue. And that’s true whether we lead in business, nonprofits, or the church. It’s hard to hold power and humility together. But I find it helpful to see them as two sides of the same coin: humility is power in service of others, and power must always be willing to serve from the lowest place.  
What is not a requirement for succeeding in leadership? What is a requirement?  


When I first started in leadership, a good friend said it was easy if you didn’t mind being an SOB. I think most people today think that’s just how leadership is. Being arrogant and ruthless comes with the territory of being a leader who gets stuff done. As you can tell from my comment about humility, I beg to differ.   
It’s easy to confuse humility with being a pushover. Leaders with biblical humility know how to use power well for the benefit of others. Jim Collins talks about leaders who have both deep humility and fierce resolve. That’s suggestive language to illustrate the requirements for successful leadership.  
Biblical wisdom also reminds us that arrogant and ruthless leaders can be successful for a time (see, for example, Psalm 73). But we shouldn’t confuse temporary success with success that lasts. We should remember that lasting success, the kind that truly matters, requires more than just ambition and power. It requires patience, endurance, and, often, the willingness to endure suffering for the greater good.  
What are you reading right now? For work and for fun?  


I love David Brooks’ s recent book How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen . On almost every page, he illustrates the wonder and challenge of authentic relationships with real people. I can’t think of a better book to challenge leaders today.  
I’m also enjoying N. T. Wright and Michael Bird’s new book Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies . I find their historical and biblical analysis helpful in thinking about how to be faithful and creative public Christians in today’s complex world.   










What are three things about yourself that most of your readers don’t know?  


I love good science fiction. As you can tell from my prior response, I’m a big Patrick Stewart fan! I hate to admit it, but I still enjoy watching my favorite episodes with Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation . Excellent science fiction can help us imagine the future and explore our current questions and issues transposed into a different cultural key.  
I enjoy cooking and eating great Chinese food. I spent my early years in Taiwan, and my father was (among many other things) a great Chinese cook. I learned to cook as a teenager under his tutelage and still enjoy cooking with family and friends.   
Finally, I’ve played golf most of my life. I find the game endlessly fascinating and frustrating. It also allows me to spend quality time with family and friends.  


What’s next for you?  




I’m currently involved in a variety of activities, including writing, speaking, teaching, and mentoring. I’ve recently joined Dr. Michaela O’Donnell to help teach Fuller Seminary’s three-year d octor of g lobal l eadership program , which is an exciting endeavor. The first cohort is a remarkably diverse group of business, nonprofit, and ministry leaders worldwide.  
Additionally, I’m already thinking about my next book project. I’m fascinated by Jesus’ s Sermon on the Mount as instruction on how to lead wisely in the world. You can find some early reflections in my Life for Leaders devotionals.    









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