Category: transformative leadership

Christmas and leadership

Using the power and energy of the human voice, we have gathered to share stories from times immemorial. We have passed on creation tales and tragic stories, repeated family history. Storytelling has been imbued with ritual and occasion. Members of tribes and various collectives have gathered around the fire to hear how their lives were interwoven with that of others.

Storytelling is also the art of repeating over and over because you believe that each time you hear it, you come to the story as a different person, and view the plot and characters in a new light. Hearing that story is a way to gauge where you have been and where you are now on our path of personal growth. It is also part of raising younger generations, so that they can pass it on to forthcoming generations.

Yet I noted how most formal traditions of storytelling are lost. It doesn’t mean that I have to be without. I can begin new practices, learn to listen to another, to speak honouring his or her unique stories and uniqueness, witnessing the different journeys of those around me without imposing mine. 

By building new practices of storytelling we learn to lead in a new way. We give ourselves and the ones we love an opportunity to draw closer in our shared human experiences. Long live the stories around Christmas and all traditions!

Leadership and humility

As a single mom, I have long led my life independently. I felt reassured to have full control over my decisions, and to decide for myself which way to go. It took me a long time to understand that I was under the illusion that I was in charge and could handle the responsibilities towards my son that I felt squarely on my shoulders.

I discovered that it takes a village to raise a child. We probably each come to realize in our lives that behind each one of us stands at least one person. In the past, we often looked to our spouse to be that person. Some of us had the helpful experience of realizing that this is not the exclusive role of spouses, and that we are meant to have many supporters to allow ourselves to do the things we want to do, to realize our dreams, to become ourselves fully.

Have you come to appreciate how life is perfectly orchestrated to bring the right people around you to get to where you want to go? Have you become aware of how you are yourself being placed on someone else’s path to support that person? As you take time to acknowledge everyone that has supported you on your path, and how many times you were there for someone else, you will gain an understanding and genuine appreciation for the amazing human support system that life is and, thereby, develop the much-needed humility that today’s leadership in a chaotic world demands.

Adverse circumstances

We all know that when the sun is not visible, it is shining somewhere else. Whether the clouds are blocking our views or the night has fallen, we know that the sun will return. We also experience periods of gloom and darkness that make us lose sight of the light, but hope is the promise of returned sunshine in our lives. Warmth and glowing rays have a way of brightening even our thoughts.

Under lockdown, in the midst of a pandemic, I have experienced life at a standstill. It seemed to have stopped all around on the planet. So I reached to the Universe for a sense of motion beyond my usual sense of boundaries to rekindle faith. Despite the general slowing down, there was just enough room to continue doing my work to attend to my activities, even in the absence of visible results. The war in Ukraine is yet another exercise in reaching deeper to stay the course while finding my light.

You may have come to discover in this darkness that actually light has started shining within. Whatever may occur around you, that source of light is never extinguished. Believing in your own light may take more time, but it glows even in the dark. Your light becomes the energy that connects you to the Universe. You can become your own sunshine, whether you feel its glow or not. Others will notice and enjoy your light as you lead the way.

Leadership from the neck up

I do not know about you, but the culture I grew up in put the head over the heart. It was more important to use your brain to address issues and people, rather than give in to emotions.  The hierarchy between head and heart went even further in pointing to the fact that women tended to often react too emotionally, when it was perceived as more appropriate to meet new ideas from a level-headed perspective. Many around me seemed to disconnect from their emotions as a result, and to listen and respond, to give and take, from the neck up.

We are today suffering as a society from a mind-driven approach to most issues coming our way, from climate change to bedtime stories, devising strategies, making plans and taking steps to get anywhere according to a well-structured mind, which means ordering things through categories and boxing people in order to process information. This is essentially how we have survived as a species on earth. The mind is clearly a huge asset. However, we may have come to a point in our evolution where we need to rebalance and give our heart a greater say.

Have you noticed how barriers, divisions, and boxes crumble, melt, and disappear when you listen to your heart? The brain gridlock softens, and some new pathways open up. In our super connected world, new interconnectedness starts appearing. Try feeling your way around things, problems, and people. You may sense space between you and what you are confronting. This is the space you need to create something new. This is the path to a more compassionate world, which will tap more into the heart and balance out your brainpower.