Leadership: Taking back the reigns, but loosening the grip.

Leadership: Taking back the reigns, but loosening the grip.

Years ago, when it was first suggested to me that I pursue studies in leadership, it came from a mentor, someone I highly respected, so I thought I must be doing something right. It was at that point where the next level of responsibility made sense, which I was sure meant a move into management.

She said to think much broader.

While I was not totally convinced, I was flattered, so I heeded the advice in at least exploring it.

I am convinced anyone poised for leading must first follow those who have excelled in their field, overcome major obstacles, or inspired and moved them in some way.

In other words, be an expert follower of those you respect the most before trying to do difficult things yourself.

So, I began searching and reading on the topic and the best definition I could find for Leadership states: “It is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.”

It was the beginning of a course of study and an ideology whereby leading became less associated with a person in charge and more about identifying how each individual can play a vital role in the larger context to achieve shared goals. It was not tied to a particular job or a field or sector, which was at times challenging. So, when the vision became blurred, the skeptic emerged on my shoulder causing me to question it.

After all, should anyone emerge out onto the path of Leadership if one doubts their ability to make an impact or be influential in any kind of meaningful way.

So, if leadership entails strengthening collaboration and change is the only constant, how does one have ultimate control over things?

And, if you can’t control things, why would you study it? How effective can one be? Will it matter?

Tough questions for tough problems -

Especially, as the pace of innovation is amped up so fast that you can hardly conjure an idea before an algorithm can crunch more code than you could ever read in your lifetime.

Rewind to the goals of a possible promotion - a course of study and a referral to take one’s thinking and career to a new level, and that’s the kind of good stress most people crave: it fuels motivation, creative and positive energy through continuous growth and the impact one can make.

But, when the stress or inability to effectively deal with it or with the levels of growing market uncertainty and global instability and other factors are well out of one’s control, that stress can become overwhelming. When ill-managed - long term or chronic, it can become a personal clinical crisis or a national / global crisis.

That is all the more reason for the importance of the study of Leadership: Taking charge by taking back the reigns to achieve one’s personal empowerment: decision making and personal leadership development planning - a roadmap for success, patient-centered health management, continuous learning and growth.

Once one has mastered that, the confidence and trust are established for those skills to be leveraged and maximized in bringing others forth - to help build linkages for sustainable futures.

Where management may have constraints and rigidity of rules, usually for good reasons, leadership is, in fact, much broader, much more expansive and flexible, and can be exercised at any stage in the process.

It is fluid in organizational strategy, alliances and partnerships, and extends beyond win/lose scenarios to capitalizing on shared benefits - the win, win, win triple bottom line thinking demonstrated by CSR's and other innovations in business models, and beyond role, discipline, sector, and even country borders.

Perhaps, the most inspirational form of leadership is stepping out of one’s comfort zone and doing something that matters. It can be the act of speaking out for what one believes in to taking action on something, getting that certificate or degree to advance their career, getting involved in a cause, switching careers or starting one’s own business. It can be the endurance of following through on something hard or staying with something long past the point most others quit. It’s the personal triumphs over medical conditions or adversities and going on to be part of the voice or activist for cures or supporting someone else through their journey. It’s taking something that didn’t succeed and finding a way to achieve despite it. It’s the courage to triumph after you’ve been turned down or told you can’t.

So, if you think leadership is simply moving into management, think much, much broader.





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