What do we want?
What do we want from our leaders in 2023? Is it different from what we have been used to? Are our current batch of leaders working for us (in both the literal and metaphorical use of the words)?
What do we mean?
What do we mean when we use the words: leadership, leader, to lead?
There’s an oft repeated exercise where you’re asked to think about who springs to mind for you as a leader.
Perhaps spend a moment doing exactly that.
Who comes to mind for you?
Often when people are asked to do this exercise, they talk about political or spiritual leaders; almost always male, almost always white. Although, to be fair, sometimes Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Jacinda Ardern and Julia Gillard get a look in. And sometimes people mention an old boss, or a family member.
Then there is a drill down into those people’s leadership styles. And here’s where it gets interesting.
What people say they want from their leaders, is often quite different to what they get from the people they cite as “leaders”.
And the leadership style of those leaders is often ineffective, ineffectual and in some cases, dangerous.
Maybe something different is needed
In this TED talk, Joseph Trimble suggests some different ways of leading.
It’s worth listening/watching the talk – and thinking about who we elect, who we promote, who we choose as our leaders.
More importantly, are they serving us? Are their styles consistent with what we need in 2023?
Food for thought.
The Takeaway
Every day we get a choice about who we consider to be our leaders.
What we consider to be effective leadership.
We get a choice about the behaviours we reward – whether that’s by who we recruit, promote or elect. We get a choice about the behaviours we ignore.
If we don’t like the leadership we have around us. If like Trimble, we believe there might be a different way – then we can start to use our agency to create it.
More Resources..
Culture and Leadership – Joseph Trimble TED talk
How to lead in times of Discontinuity and Distress
The most important leadership skills required in 2023
Want more?
If the above has whetted your appetite, and you’re keen for more.. Here are some ideas:
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See you soon,
