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The Pope & The CEO: John Paul II's Leadership Lessons to a Young Swiss Guard
John Paul II showed me what real leadership looks like. He modeled for me how to pursue our God-given potential. Not coincidentally, this also makes us and those around us better employees, more capable of and more willing to work hard at building a stronger company. That s something that makes both good human sense and good business sense. - Andreas Widmer Former Swiss Guard, CEO and business leader
Andreas Widmer gives a behind-the-scenes look into Pope John Paul II, the most authentically human person I ve ever met, and reveals how those memories shaped and forged his success as a corporate executive. In what papal biographer George Weigel calls a powerful example of leadership at work, Widmer recounts his personal experiences serving Blessed Pope John Paul II in the Swiss Guard, and the secrets of successful leadership that he learned at the feet of the great pope.
Andreas Widmer gives a behind-the-scenes look into Pope John Paul II, the most authentically human person I ve ever met, and reveals how those memories shaped and forged his success as a corporate executive. In what papal biographer George Weigel calls a powerful example of leadership at work, Widmer recounts his personal experiences serving Blessed Pope John Paul II in the Swiss Guard, and the secrets of successful leadership that he learned at the feet of the great pope.
152 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 16, 2011
An intriguing and uplifting book. I've always been curious about the life of a Swiss Guard and this offers the perfect balance of interesting real-life anecdotes and wisdom obtained from life-experience looked at through the lens of a deep spiritual faith.
Widmer shares many interesting personal stories from his life as a Swiss Guard, moving memories of working with John Paul II, and his own struggles as a young Christian with so many conflicting ideals. He goes on to consider the corporate experience of his later life and how he managed - or failed - to live up to his earlier calling.
He offers practical and deeply spiritual steps to help young Christians unite their faith, profession and personal life. He explores the topics of vocation, prayer, ethics and the human person (here he applies JPII's beautiful theology of the human person to everyday life), exercising free will, preparing for the future while living in the present, developing personal and professional talents, choosing to do what is right, living in moderation, and humility and the freedom won through detachment.
Recommended as an interesting, enlightening, and very encouraging read.
Reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com
Widmer shares many interesting personal stories from his life as a Swiss Guard, moving memories of working with John Paul II, and his own struggles as a young Christian with so many conflicting ideals. He goes on to consider the corporate experience of his later life and how he managed - or failed - to live up to his earlier calling.
He offers practical and deeply spiritual steps to help young Christians unite their faith, profession and personal life. He explores the topics of vocation, prayer, ethics and the human person (here he applies JPII's beautiful theology of the human person to everyday life), exercising free will, preparing for the future while living in the present, developing personal and professional talents, choosing to do what is right, living in moderation, and humility and the freedom won through detachment.
Recommended as an interesting, enlightening, and very encouraging read.
Reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com
August 15, 2018
You’re twenty years old and on your first day on the job you have an life changing encounter with one of the most important figures of the twentieth century. This is what the author, Andreas Widmer, experienced as a Swiss Guard for John Paul II. Over the course of two years, Widmer had firsthand experiences of the character traits that made John Paul II not only a great leader, but a saint.
Widmer does an admirable job of distilling these qualities into “Big Ideas” and applying them to his experiences as a CEO. The result is a valuable handbook on how to live a fulfilling life and to run a successful business. At the end of each chapter are questions for reflection and how to apply these ideas to your life or business. Widmer peppers the book with wonderful experiences of Pope John Paul II. For instance, John Paul II wanted the Vatican to change its attitude towards gypsies, who were perceived as con artists and thieves. With Mother Teresa, he opened a 74 bed shelter inside the Papal Palace. Many religious sisters and Swiss Guards volunteered and witnessed John Paul II holding audiences for the gypsies and the homeless. “The significance of that was never lost on the gypsies who came to the audiences. As I stood guard, I would watch the faces. They were different in that room than they were on the outside…They lost the anonymous look of the beggar and reflected instead the God-given dignity as individuals…After those audiences, none of us in Vatican City could look at gypsies in quite the same way.”
Most corporations have lost their souls, treating employees as interchangeable cogs within the machinery of progress and disposing of them in the name of "faster, better or cheaper" through outsourcing and layoffs. In the process, people have lost the importance of work and its spiritual value to man. It’s no wonder workers view their work as a “job” rather than a vocation. Instead of perfecting their craft, they do the mere minimum necessary to collect the most money for the exchange of value. Widmer offers practical ideas to change this sad state of affairs - Live as a Witness, Know Your Team, Know How to Choose What’s Right and Know God. This is required reading for all entrepreneurs and CEOs if you want to build a great company and lead a happy life.
Widmer does an admirable job of distilling these qualities into “Big Ideas” and applying them to his experiences as a CEO. The result is a valuable handbook on how to live a fulfilling life and to run a successful business. At the end of each chapter are questions for reflection and how to apply these ideas to your life or business. Widmer peppers the book with wonderful experiences of Pope John Paul II. For instance, John Paul II wanted the Vatican to change its attitude towards gypsies, who were perceived as con artists and thieves. With Mother Teresa, he opened a 74 bed shelter inside the Papal Palace. Many religious sisters and Swiss Guards volunteered and witnessed John Paul II holding audiences for the gypsies and the homeless. “The significance of that was never lost on the gypsies who came to the audiences. As I stood guard, I would watch the faces. They were different in that room than they were on the outside…They lost the anonymous look of the beggar and reflected instead the God-given dignity as individuals…After those audiences, none of us in Vatican City could look at gypsies in quite the same way.”
Most corporations have lost their souls, treating employees as interchangeable cogs within the machinery of progress and disposing of them in the name of "faster, better or cheaper" through outsourcing and layoffs. In the process, people have lost the importance of work and its spiritual value to man. It’s no wonder workers view their work as a “job” rather than a vocation. Instead of perfecting their craft, they do the mere minimum necessary to collect the most money for the exchange of value. Widmer offers practical ideas to change this sad state of affairs - Live as a Witness, Know Your Team, Know How to Choose What’s Right and Know God. This is required reading for all entrepreneurs and CEOs if you want to build a great company and lead a happy life.
December 20, 2011
Now I'm not a catholic and I'm certainly not a CEO but I was very pleased when the "You're a goodreads winner" email dropped in with notice about this book. And that's because I am intrigued by Pope John Paul II. I can't help but be fascinated by a man who just seemed so, well simply put, good.
This book gave me a taste, but probably against it's own values it tempts me. I want more. I loved the stories about the Pope's daily lives and his dealings with the Swiss Guards and how that can transfer across to your daily working life. And there was a bit of that, but just not enough. I know that Andreas Widmer has some amazing stories, even those that seem mundane to him and I wanted to know more about his current work and those failures he's had prior to this current business.
This was a bit of a surprise self-help book really and I wasn't expecting it. I'm not sure whether I failed to read the giveaway details properly or whether it's just not wholly clear, but I wasn't ever going to do the end-of-chapter reflection exercises, though I did read them and think about them.
My mum is going to love this book. She's a catholic convert and I know it'll give her many talking points, it's already been a discussion between me and many people, because if you just take one lesson from it about how to be a better person, then as far as I'm concerned, this book has done it's job. Pope John Paul II said "Whatever you shall be in life, whichever calling you choose, remember, that the fundamental calling of a human being is to have humanity." He puts it far more eloquently than my base level of belief, the single rule of Beckyism - "Don't be a shit to people". Either way works for me.
And now I'm done being preachy.
I won this book through Goodreads FirstReads and would like to thank Andreas Widmer for his book and kind message.
This book gave me a taste, but probably against it's own values it tempts me. I want more. I loved the stories about the Pope's daily lives and his dealings with the Swiss Guards and how that can transfer across to your daily working life. And there was a bit of that, but just not enough. I know that Andreas Widmer has some amazing stories, even those that seem mundane to him and I wanted to know more about his current work and those failures he's had prior to this current business.
This was a bit of a surprise self-help book really and I wasn't expecting it. I'm not sure whether I failed to read the giveaway details properly or whether it's just not wholly clear, but I wasn't ever going to do the end-of-chapter reflection exercises, though I did read them and think about them.
My mum is going to love this book. She's a catholic convert and I know it'll give her many talking points, it's already been a discussion between me and many people, because if you just take one lesson from it about how to be a better person, then as far as I'm concerned, this book has done it's job. Pope John Paul II said "Whatever you shall be in life, whichever calling you choose, remember, that the fundamental calling of a human being is to have humanity." He puts it far more eloquently than my base level of belief, the single rule of Beckyism - "Don't be a shit to people". Either way works for me.
And now I'm done being preachy.
I won this book through Goodreads FirstReads and would like to thank Andreas Widmer for his book and kind message.
November 3, 2025
не сотворіть собі ідола or whatever god says
April 12, 2025
I’m pretty sure I cried in every chapter of this book. If you love JP2, or if you don’t know a lick about him… this book will give you such a beautiful look into a man that lived for Christ and his kingdom. 10/10 RECOMMENDDDDD.
July 7, 2012
Disclosure: I received this book for free through First Reads. Thanks to the publishers for allowing me to read this book for an unbiased review.
The Pope in the title is John Paul II, and the CEO is—well, John Paul II again, or the author, Andreas Widmer, or ... you!
You don't need to be Catholic or a CEO to benefit from reading this book. You don't even have to be Christian. I think anyone looking for more practical spirituality in their life will like this book.
In a nutshell, the author, Andreas Widmer, finishes school in Switzerland and, not sure what he wants to do, kind of falls into working at the Vatican as one of the Swiss Guard, the Pope's traditional bodyguards.
Next he moves to America to be with a girl and study International Business. He marries the girl, and with her encouragement, takes an unpaid internship at a small tech startup. The internship leads to a job, and by the time of the startup's IPO he is a Vice President. He moves to a second company, and when it is acquired for $600 million the shares he receives are worth enough to leave him financially independent.
Here's what's interesting: his wife feels uneasy and wants him to sell the shares, but he ignores her wisdom. Then it comes out that the new company is fraudulent, the shares tank, and his fortune disappears. Burned out from overwork and feeling betrayed by the new owners, he stops to re-examine his life. He reflects on what he learned during his two years of close contact with John Paul II and begins applying that in his marriage, in his work, and in his own life.
After twelve years of unconventional success, Andreas Widmer shares what he has learned in this book.
The overarching framework is the Three Vocations. There's the universal vocation to be a child of God. Your primary vocation is your spiritual lifestyle: married and in the world, single and in the world, or a full-time religious life. Your secondary vocation is your work.
I find this metaphor freeing:
The author's explanation of the Examen, a way of cultivating spiritual awareness, was helpful to me: "One way to do this is at the end of the day ask yourself how you feel spiritually about what's going on in your life."
The Pope in the title is John Paul II, and the CEO is—well, John Paul II again, or the author, Andreas Widmer, or ... you!
You don't need to be Catholic or a CEO to benefit from reading this book. You don't even have to be Christian. I think anyone looking for more practical spirituality in their life will like this book.
In a nutshell, the author, Andreas Widmer, finishes school in Switzerland and, not sure what he wants to do, kind of falls into working at the Vatican as one of the Swiss Guard, the Pope's traditional bodyguards.
Next he moves to America to be with a girl and study International Business. He marries the girl, and with her encouragement, takes an unpaid internship at a small tech startup. The internship leads to a job, and by the time of the startup's IPO he is a Vice President. He moves to a second company, and when it is acquired for $600 million the shares he receives are worth enough to leave him financially independent.
Here's what's interesting: his wife feels uneasy and wants him to sell the shares, but he ignores her wisdom. Then it comes out that the new company is fraudulent, the shares tank, and his fortune disappears. Burned out from overwork and feeling betrayed by the new owners, he stops to re-examine his life. He reflects on what he learned during his two years of close contact with John Paul II and begins applying that in his marriage, in his work, and in his own life.
After twelve years of unconventional success, Andreas Widmer shares what he has learned in this book.
The overarching framework is the Three Vocations. There's the universal vocation to be a child of God. Your primary vocation is your spiritual lifestyle: married and in the world, single and in the world, or a full-time religious life. Your secondary vocation is your work.
I find this metaphor freeing:
our vocation is the way in which we give back to God what he has given to us. It's a bit like when you give your child art materials—paper, brushes, pencils, colors, glitter, glue, scissors, wiggle eye stickers and pom-poms—then ask them to "use all this material and make something great. Go ahead—be creative!" You then wait excitedly until they come back and proudly present the latest creation. You of course love it and, just as proudly, display it at your office or in your kitchen.
The author's explanation of the Examen, a way of cultivating spiritual awareness, was helpful to me: "One way to do this is at the end of the day ask yourself how you feel spiritually about what's going on in your life."
June 25, 2012
The Pope & The CEO is my new favorite book of 2012. It is a really interesting story of a young man (Widmer) and what he learned from John Paul II while serving as a Swiss Guard in the late eighties. Widmer took these lessons with him into the world of business, although it took many years for him to fully understand the things he had learned while guarding the Pope. In fact, it is pretty clear that when Widmer left the Swiss Guards after just a couple of years of service he didn't fully understand many of the lessons he had learned. It took some time, and the sort of "education" only experience can provide, to bring these principles home for him.
Part biography, part autobiography, and part business text, the book manages to keep the proper balance between all three. For those of us who work in business, and lead others, there are lessons we should know, but either never learned, haven't yet figured out how to apply, or haven't thought were important enough to apply. Seen through the perspective of our spiritual development, and desire to get to Heaven, the principles presented demand our attention. For example, chapter 6, Know Your Team, really challenges the notion that work is ultimately about results. Widmer forcefully posits that work, like everything else in life, is really about relationships.
Clearly Widmer admires John Paul II and provides many vivid examples of behavior from the Pope that we should model in the business world as well as our personal lives.
At 147 pages The Pope & The CEO doesn't take long to read and would make an excellent addition to your summer reading list.
Part biography, part autobiography, and part business text, the book manages to keep the proper balance between all three. For those of us who work in business, and lead others, there are lessons we should know, but either never learned, haven't yet figured out how to apply, or haven't thought were important enough to apply. Seen through the perspective of our spiritual development, and desire to get to Heaven, the principles presented demand our attention. For example, chapter 6, Know Your Team, really challenges the notion that work is ultimately about results. Widmer forcefully posits that work, like everything else in life, is really about relationships.
Clearly Widmer admires John Paul II and provides many vivid examples of behavior from the Pope that we should model in the business world as well as our personal lives.
At 147 pages The Pope & The CEO doesn't take long to read and would make an excellent addition to your summer reading list.
October 18, 2015
I didn't buy this book for myself but ended up reading a bit and couldn't put it down! This book is for everyone...anyone and everyone who, well, works and lives. Also, for anyone who has a feeling they were meant to do something particular but discount it because it is not overtly Christian or not seemingly useful. It is also for someone who is doing something particular but questions its value. The reader gets a real and personal sense of Saint John Paul here too, obviously, but in a sense that inspires emulation just as it has in Andreas. That's the special quality of this book; I can't say enough about it, it was wonderful from beginning to end. It will be a blessing to anyone who reads it.
I'll let an excerpt from this book sum it up:
"All men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece." Saint John Paul II
I'll let an excerpt from this book sum it up:
"All men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece." Saint John Paul II
October 19, 2015
An insightful book with spiritual and practical guidance. It could be applied in our everyday lives. The story and journey of Andres Widmer starting as a Swiss guard and from there on is well summed up. The influence the Pope had on Andres Widmer’s life was inspiring to read. The book throws light on how humble; spiritual the Pope was; to add to his personality, he also had a sense of humour.
The book advises gives advice on leadership, business ethics and how one should be true to your principles, to find balance between work and family, etc. At the end of each chapter, there are questions for reflections to ponder up. Anyone looking for inspiration could read this one.
The book advises gives advice on leadership, business ethics and how one should be true to your principles, to find balance between work and family, etc. At the end of each chapter, there are questions for reflections to ponder up. Anyone looking for inspiration could read this one.
December 27, 2013
I found this book very interesting the way author told about time as a Papal Guard to John Paul 2 and his short meetings with the pope and just watching the pope interact with people influence his life when he left the Swiss Guard and went into different business and help strength his belief and trust in God. Thanks to Goodreads give away I had a chance to read this book.
June 25, 2013
Good business book - interesting lessons learned from the Pope, then spun to apply in the business and home world. The strongest idea here would be to give time for family and fun while at work. Without a strong family, there is no support for the individual, or the community.
September 16, 2015
Was a hard read for me but I enjoyed it, being Catholic it held my interest and I would recommend it to all faiths to read. He was an amazing, inspirational leader.
December 30, 2014
I am a sucker for books about JP2. Interesting stories from a former Swiss Guard member and insightful reflections on leadership style.
November 15, 2022
This is essentially a leadership guide based on JPII’s example, written by one of his former Swiss Guards. It follows a pattern of 1.) anecdotal story about JPII, 2.) less than inspired explanation of the leadership quality exemplified in the story, and then 3.) some simple questions provided for self-assessment. The stories are actually very thought-provoking and inspiring (as stories about JPII’s life often are), and I wish that were what the the whole book was.
The leadership advice is valid, but it does not really rise to the level of what Widmer claimed it to be; he presented his leadership advice as if it functioned as a kind of roadmap to life’s ultimate goal, heaven. Yet the advice given is almost entirely concerned with human virtue, with a few exhortations to pray, fast, and seek holiness sprinkled on top.
I was expecting Widmer to speak more about what it looks like to fully embrace the Christian mission to spread and defend the faith in the workplace, and seek to fully know, love, and serve God there. In other words, I wanted more on mission, and more on holiness. But this book is not that.
Underlying the whole book also seems to be this secondary message that saying that abiding by Christian ethics in the workplace is also what’s best for the success of the business. Which is not only oftentimes untrue, but it also amounts to nothing in comparison to the more explicit goal of the book, namely the achievement of hopes goal, salvation. But to his credit, Widmer does get around to clarifying this in the last two pages of the book.
All in all, there is a lot of value in this book, especially when it comes to the JPII stories from Widmer’s time in the Guard, and the guidelines given for the acquisition of mature, human, corporate virtue.
The leadership advice is valid, but it does not really rise to the level of what Widmer claimed it to be; he presented his leadership advice as if it functioned as a kind of roadmap to life’s ultimate goal, heaven. Yet the advice given is almost entirely concerned with human virtue, with a few exhortations to pray, fast, and seek holiness sprinkled on top.
I was expecting Widmer to speak more about what it looks like to fully embrace the Christian mission to spread and defend the faith in the workplace, and seek to fully know, love, and serve God there. In other words, I wanted more on mission, and more on holiness. But this book is not that.
Underlying the whole book also seems to be this secondary message that saying that abiding by Christian ethics in the workplace is also what’s best for the success of the business. Which is not only oftentimes untrue, but it also amounts to nothing in comparison to the more explicit goal of the book, namely the achievement of hopes goal, salvation. But to his credit, Widmer does get around to clarifying this in the last two pages of the book.
All in all, there is a lot of value in this book, especially when it comes to the JPII stories from Widmer’s time in the Guard, and the guidelines given for the acquisition of mature, human, corporate virtue.
January 1, 2020
This book prove to me that I should and every year with a book on the spiritual and personal and professional life. There truly is no better role model then Saint John Paul II. In every aspect of life he was a great example of how to lead both professionally and personally. I really enjoyed the connection the author had to the pope. And the questions of reflections at the end of each chapter. That’s the only reason why it took me longer to finish the book. I wanted to make sure to work through the questions thoroughly. I learned about the faith and business. Would be even better if I was already in a managerial role but still everything is so applicable to any time in your life. Recommend!
May 30, 2022
Outstanding.
I recommend for any executive who wants to put his Faith to work at the office, C-Suite or Boardroom. Andres Widmer's experience working as a Swiss Guard protecting Pope John Paul II shows how John Paul II keep all things in balance including taking time to make a lifetime impression on a young Swiss Guard in the late 1980's who from study, discernment and much prayer came to know and more deeply love Jesus Christ and His Church.
I recommend for any executive who wants to put his Faith to work at the office, C-Suite or Boardroom. Andres Widmer's experience working as a Swiss Guard protecting Pope John Paul II shows how John Paul II keep all things in balance including taking time to make a lifetime impression on a young Swiss Guard in the late 1980's who from study, discernment and much prayer came to know and more deeply love Jesus Christ and His Church.
October 10, 2025
After meeting Andreas Widmer this summer at a conference he gave, I was amazed by his teachings. I immediately bought his two books and fell in love with his business philosophy on principled entrepreneurship. It is so different and introduced me to a whole new world of catholic living. I have applied his teachings and aspire to keep on doing so. Hope he writes more books soon!
May 10, 2018
Good leadership book with Catholic prayer undertones. Basically, if you don't center your life on something concrete, then you'll get lost. I like the idea, and I like the book.
March 5, 2019
What an incredible book that clearly outlines the tenets of the Catholic Faith and bringing that into the workplace as a leader. Highly recommend to all leaders!
May 6, 2019
Chapter 9 made this a 4 star-otherwise a fast read and good lessons and accents on living and working per jp2...
June 5, 2020
Great and down to earth book on leadership and how to live a virtuous life.
June 3, 2024
Excellent read for anyone, but especially for those in positions of leadership. Widmer so easily draws lessons from how Pope John Paul II lived his life. So inspiring and challenging.
November 6, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. Good mix of business and spirituality.
January 29, 2025
Altamente recomendado si estás dudando que una vida de alto ejecutivo tiene cabida con una vida de un buen católico.
February 28, 2025
Good catholic perspective on business and leadership with good references for increasing knowledge of the faith. A great nexus of secular business and catholic values.
September 2, 2012
Solid book, fascinating read, down to earth. Really liked it.
April 18, 2013
Slow to start but ended strong
August 25, 2013
drawing life lessons from inspiring behavior and modelled actions...a very helpful business book
July 20, 2015
You don't have to be Catholic or even christian to appreciate the lessons learned in this book.
October 19, 2012
Informative and spiritual. Good writing and easy to read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews