Tag: support

How to lead in the absence of gathering

Fellowship is crucial to humanity’s wellbeing. I belong to many small groups and thrive on gathering with like-minded individuals and being of service to people around me. At a time when real-life is interfering with our efforts to come together, nurturing or creating a sense of community will be essential. I believe the aspirations, interests and needs to come together will be felt increasingly, and I would encourage people to consider the importance of forming groups, gathering their tribe.

Forming groups is an invitation to companionship and camaraderie into a circle of support. You may feel driven to found groups around activities that can be managed virtually at a time when gathering is challenging. We may find that groups of like-minded individuals are inherently exclusive as they serve as a support network to those who have something in common, but leadership can help transcend the boundaries that might otherwise keep people apart. We need to cultivate from the outset an inclusive and diverse group open to engaging with others to ensure that the group will grow and thrive as a result.

You will likely come across the discouragement of seeing people reluctant to engage actively, waiting to see how the group evolves. The challenge will be greater in the absence of physical gathering. But intention will be key. You will be tested by others wondering whether you are truly committed to serving with your heart and soul. In fact, your vision and intention to serve will be the seed that will eventually grow into nurturing a community long beyond your own role in the inception of the group and even your own presence, staying true to its original purpose. The group will develop its own life cycle and evolve along the way for as long as it will remain coherent with its core purpose, and resonate with people and the environment. Leadership is about giving the impulse and keeping coherence and resonance alive.

Leaders of the impossible

One of the most useful lessons I learned in my lifetime is that nothing is impossible. I grew up mostly on my own, as an only child with working parents, at a time when it was not rare to see children home alone, relying on the community around them to keep an eye out for them. I often came across issues that, as a child, seemed insurmountable. But with time and persistence, I came to realize that there is always a solution; nothing stays insurmountable for long; everything passes; and nothing has to be impossible.

I discovered three steps to overcome anything in life. The first one is to remind yourself and firmly believe that nothing is impossible, if you set your mind to it. It provides the necessary courage and persistence to move through your challenge.

The second step is to believe in yourself, seek within and realize the number of ideas that can come to you. Remember that you do not need the best solution. You just need a solution to try things out. You also need to act, to choose, so as to start moving beyond what is obstructing your path.

The third step is to look around and think of others. Enlist the support of your network, friends, and family. The more people thinking in the same direction, the more solutions can be found and paths created. You can also think of people who have turned adversity into success, and thus gain a larger perspective. Others can be a source of inspiration. In our darkest hours, we can always resort to the deep knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no need to feel helpless. We have the resources to find our way out. We are created that way! Taking the first step is all it takes; the next ones will appear. Believing in ourselves, we will always prevail.