Be The Leader You Want to See in The World

Last week I stood in front of 25 individuals and asked them to chose to be the leader that they wanted to see in the world.  Not ask that someone else step up to the plate and be that person but that they do it themselves.  Maybe some people got it.  Probably some people thought I was off my rocker since most of them were not in traditional leadership positions.  But I am hoping that two or three or even a landslide of 5 people understood.  The time has come to take responsibility, be accountable to what you want to see in the world and then be audacious and create it. And all that starts at home with you and with me.

I don't think that this is a radical idea but it is one that is not widely shared.  The fact that I am speaking to it at all points to my own personal transformation.  It was not so very long ago that I was of the mind that the leadership needed to change for anything to go well.  I did take enough responsibility for my own situational leadership behavior.

The 25 people that I was hoping to reach had a long and rocky road with each other and with their own leadership.  Disappointments,  poor communication habits and a lack of care with regards to relationships held in the container of a long difficult organizational restructuring effort had created an atmosphere of anger, distrust and contempt.  Having stood in those very shoes some years ago, I know what damage it causes to one's coworkers, the organization and to ones self.   I also know that when we take responsibility, hold our very selves accountable, then we move from victims to, as Peter Block might say, possibility.

What is the leader you want to see in the world?  Write it you.  Show us how its done.  Let the change begin with you.