Leadership as a Lifestyle Choice
‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power’ Abraham Lincoln
‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power’ Abraham Lincoln
We are confused about leadership in today’s world. We think to lead, we must have power. What many global leaders have shown us is that you can have power and never lead. This lack of leadership is equally evident in many corporates. Despite knowing the damaging social and environmental impact of certain practices, business leaders continue to lead companies in ways which are unsustainable. Slaves to old paradigms. Global political and business leaders have the power and resources to make the changes needed for a more equal and environmentally sustainable society. Unfortunately, they have largely abdicated that opportunity to lead.
True Leadership is about Impact
Leadership is a topic I have reflected on a lot over the last three years. Globally, the absence of leadership is startling and accelerating. Personally, I have reflected on what leading means to me and how it shows up in my life. I have realised leadership is about impact. About using the resources available to you regardless of your position or wealth to have a lasting and positive impact on yourself, others and society. Leadership was never about power. It is about the courage to be different and the willingness to inspire. This current crisis is calling on even those who never aspired to a leadership position to demonstrate great courage and lead in their own way.
Leadership Begins in Your Life
Leadership is a lifestyle choice. Before we can lead externally, we must be leading in our own lives. A mentor once asked me ‘what would you like your legacy to be?’ She meant in that role, that company, my professional life. I have adapted that question to life. Every single decision, every interaction we have is an expression of the person we are and the world we want to live in.
Leadership involves the ability to motivate and empower others. The most powerful way to do that is to inspire them. The most authentic way to inspire others is to be inspired yourself. Only when you are leading in your own life, making decisions that empower you, can you start to lead others.
Leadership Involves Using Your Voice
I was speaking to a group of people last week and one person commented that they admired me for speaking publicly about spirituality. That common advice suggests we should never speak about religion or politics. This old idea of not speaking about certain topics only ever serves the establishment or dominant paradigm. The status quo. Long before this current crisis, it was clear the status quo is not working for us.
We need to relearn the skill of democracy. In any modern democratic society, the ability to debate is foundational. To not shy away from topics. Apathy empowers bad leadership. The quietness of our voice allows them. Never before has it been more important to be willing to challenge. To have a voice. To lead you must be willing to be a dissenting voice. To speak up when you have something to say, witness an injustice or have a vision for a better world. To be the example of how we cultivate and grow fair and diverse societies.
This Vacuum of Leadership Needs to End
We are running out of time. The world needs us to collectively lead now when existing leaders have been revealed to be lacking. A friend of mine has said to me many times there is no point in blaming the system, we are the system. Don’t wait to be in a “leadership” position to act. Recognise who you are. Ask yourself — what one action can I take to demonstrate leadership today? Act now.
Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash