Personnel and Collaboration

This chapter considers the bishop’s role as leader of an organization whose primary resources are people. Using data from the survey and interviews, the chapter explores bishops’ relationships and collaborations with Church personnel, including priests, deacons, religious, and lay persons. It also explores relationships with other bishops and collaborations through state and national bishops’ conferences. The first section explores the bishops’ perspectives and experiences with different types of Church personnel. The second section discusses how bishops rely on different individuals and groups to assist in their decision making. The final section looks beyond the diocese to relationships with fellow bishops, both individually and as part of national and state bishop conferences.