Reflections: What’s in a Leader?
Leadership means different things to different people — you can survey 100 people, and they will each come up with their own slightly nuanced version of what it is and how to go about it. Yet, if you look at many leaders of businesses and teams, they have a distinct pattern of behaviour which means the majority of the time, leadership is always being approached in the same way with similar patterns and common mistakes.
Therefore, as a current or aspiring leader do people really take the time to reflect, learn and grow, or are they too busy giving the impression of leadership based on outdated values and a succession of what they’ve been taught? This was something I found myself reflecting on during a Developing Team Leader (DTL) programme, where I questioned what it was to be in a leadership position and navigate its complexities — not just the act of leading and following the pre-defined responsibilities, but how much did I really know myself?
At the end of the programme, even the reflection task in itself was a challenge. Specifically, how was I meant to capture an entire 4-week programme in the perfect all encompassing conclusion or summary?! Well…to be honest, I couldn’t, because I left with more questions, contradictions, theories and increased levels of discomfort — with the only way I could think to gather my thoughts was a poem of sorts:-
What’s in a Leader?
Do they help you to perform?
Or simply leave you having to reform?
Do they lead on strategy?
Or simply end up leaving you with tragedy?
Do they make the tough decisions?
Or simply leave you frustrated by their confusing indecisions?
Is it someone that heeds?
Or someone that understands people’s needs?
Is someone that digs through the weeds?
Or someone that sows people’s seeds?
Is it someone that leads you along a trail?
Or someone that gets too stuck in the detail?
Do they teach you the difference been right or wrong?
Or do they supervise everything that is going on?
Do they sponsor you so you can be just like them?
Or after all this, do you realise that you are your own gem?
Do they coach you to help you get to the right conclusion?
Or do they mentor you to tell you that everything you know is just an illusion?
Well…
After all this, I’m left confused
At times, I’ve been left unamused
After all this, I’m left open
At times, I’ve been left broken
After all this, I’m left thinking
At times, I’ve questioned my own rethinking
After all this, I’m left knowing
Always growing. Forever showing
That actually, I don’t know where I’m going
How am I going to get there?
Do I know where?
Will it cause me despair?
Do I dare?
Do I even care?
It’s not selfish. It’s not prescriptive.
It’s not principles. It’s not binary.
It’s not linear. It’s not traditional.
It’s not perfect. It’s not easy .
Is it...Fluid? Evolving? Practice? Patience?
Is it…Complexed? Nuanced? Pressure? Trust?
Is it…Bravery? Sacrifice? Values? Respect?
Is it its own stream own consciousness?
The simple answer is that I don’t know, but what I do know…
Is that it comes in many forms, all different shapes and sizes.
It’s showing people that there is a different way
So, they can have their say on any given day
It’s introspective. It’s self but selfless .
It’s life. It’s never-ending and you can’t complete it.
It’s acknowledgement of differences. It’s wearing many hats.
It’s not being suck in your ways. It’s the why and the how.
It’s finding a way forward. It’s formation, not information
It’s its own construct. It’s its own thing.
It’s acceptance of styles. It’s connection.
It’s humbleness. It’s humility.
It’s growth.
It’s fluid.
It’s meaningful.
It’s all these things and so much more.
