Change the Way you lead in 10 Days
Is it possible to change the way you lead in ten days? This question may give you food for thought, or it may just awaken you to the possibilities changing the way you lead could offer you. I imagine hearing a resounding collective “no” from members of this community. After all, many have spent years climbing the corporate ladder while others have spent huge sums of money to learn about managing and eventually about leading well.
Jim Rohn said, “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight”. What I find most useful about this quote is where it is pointing me … you – the need to re-look at our perspective of leadership.
- Do you see your leadership as the destination, or
- Do you see your leadership as a journey.
If you see leadership as a destination you’re more like to aspire to leadership as a role in which is vested rank, privilege and power. Arnold Mindell, in his book Sitting in the Fire says, “Rank is a drug. The more you have, the less aware you are of how it effects others negatively.”. This perspective on leadership closes you to any further personal development aimed at closing the leadership gaps in the workplace.
A recent publication by the Centre for Creative Leadership affirms the importance of leaders being both approach and inspiration. Leaders must demonstrate amongst other authenticity, emotional competence and the ability to inspire leadership with AND through others.
This invites a perspective of leadership that is different – one rooted in seeing leadership as an (extraordinary) journey. A journey in which YOU will get to express both your own authenticity AND experience the profoundness of interconnection with others and the world around you.
And, as the folks at Lead SA would have us belief, “It starts with you. Your actions have an undeniable impact on those around you.”
If this is true – if YOU believe this is true – then you have to acknowledge that, it’s entirely possible to Change the Way you Lead in 10 days.
Leadership is no longer about rank or status. Leadership is about personal responsibility and accountability. It is about purpose. Something as simple as a random act of kindness in the workplace can change the way you lead – now.
And, as one leader said about a staff member in a workshop on diversity I recently facilitated, Talking to Thomas (about his dreams) has given me extraordinary insight into a man I would never have known.
What will you do to change the way you lead in the next ten day’s? What do you want to be held accountable for? If you’re looking for clarity or not entirely sure, call me, a Certified Executive Coach with extensive corporate experience, to talk more about creating an intention for yourself around this.