Success and Failure Leadership
Leadership Watch
Do you remember when Barack Obama first took up his office in the White House?
People all over the world were watching him: wondering how he would ‘shape up’ as the new leader of the United States of America: hanging onto his every word, even the mistakes, for they, in themselves, showed us he was human.
He is living proof that we all have a right to lead.
As David Taylor, in his book ‘Naked Leadership’ tells us:
‘…everyone is a leader, that’s every single person, including you; whether you choose to accept this leadership is your choice…’
As Obama took office, we felt the power of his Purpose, Vision, Identity, Talent, Passion, Values and Choices: the 7 elements we have explored throughout our Sync Articles, closely aligned in him and clear for all to see.
(7 element thinking was developed by the Institute of Human Development)
Sharing our Leadership thinking
So, how many of us are thinking about leadership opportunities in the months to come?
We won’t all have Aretha Franklin singing us in, as Obama did but when we step into leadership roles, we can create our own fanfare of sorts.
How many of us are sharing our ambition with others: asking for advice and objectivity when thinking of leading something, whatever it is, however small?
Sharing our ideas and the barriers to taking something on, might help us shape our thinking more effectively and be more successful in securing these opportunities.
How can our connection with Sync and other leadership projects and developments make us feel differently about our potential and the impact we can make in our chosen sphere in the weeks and months ahead?
Obama certainly doesn't do leadership on his own!
So what of Success? (and Failure)
What makes leadership more difficult is when we consider it in terms of rise and fall, success and failure.
Let’s face it, there are still cynics out there waiting for Obama (or any of us) to make a mistake.
Are we one of these cynics? If we see leadership in this way: being a ‘successful leader’ or a ‘failing leader’- it can be very limiting and daunting to even try leading something?
And who is doing the judging, we might ask ourselves?
As disabled people, we often practice this simplistic approach by criticising and being cynical about disabled people who do take the lead: instead of looking for the best in what they are doing,and adding something to their offer.
One of our favourite lines from the film, Dead Poets Society, must be
'...the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse...'
What will your verse be? If we were to consider leadership opportunity as a means to explore who we really are and what we do best, rather than whether you succeed or fail, it may make for a happier experience?
As Obama said
'...we are all equal, all free and we all deserve a chance to pursue our full measure of happiness...'
and thinking beyond success and failure alone, we might just set ourselves free from trying to conform to a tight model of ‘so called perfection’.
Leadership as a Learning Process
Leadership, after all is an exploration: a learning process and something we have to define on our own terms. As David Taylor says
‘Success is whatever you want it to be, it is yours to define’
A simple way to approach your development is to ask yourself
Is this taking me where I want to go?
Am I clear about where I am now - what I have and do not have?
What do I need to do, to get to where I want to go?
Then, why not just get on with it!
And if the leadership opportunities are not there, don’t wait for leadership to come to you, how about seeking out opportunities?
Sarah Pickthall, Sync Coaching
