Great Leadership Is Not For The Faint Hearted
"All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership."
John Kenneth Galbraith, U.S. economist, "The Age of Uncertainty"
The illusion of outstanding leadership is it looks easy. Yet behind the scenes, leaders grapple with complex scenarios, unclear situations, undefined possibilities, and regular risks. It is not an easy job....and it is a very satisfying job for those who are willing to put in the hard work, effort, and personal growth necessary to define new roads forward. Leaders who shine have the ability to step into the tension to understand a situation and let go of "what is the right way" and search for the "best way". They have a honed skill to not focus on who is "right or wrong" but to focus on what is the path forward that creates a new flow for all involved.
To do this it requires the core skills:
- Listening to understand the situation
- Being comfortable with ambiguity
- Ability to see the nuance in situations
- Trust in their own intuition
- Openness to let go of perceptions to see with "new eyes"
- Capacity to work with diverse people and thought
- Holding the tension of any situation until a clear path appears to go forward
Related: When to Release Control as a Leader
Of course, Leaders require competence in their field, experience in working with and through people, an understanding of innovation that comes from co-creation, a discipline of keeping the core operations strong in any environment, and a practice of continual learning and growth the fundamentals necessary even to begin to lead others.
Don't be afraid to go after large initiatives and aspirations by relying on the core skills above to create a better way to accomplish goals for yourself and others.
Related: Decision Guide for Leaders
"Excellence is not an accomplishment. It is a spirit, a never-ending process."
Lawrence M. Miller
