I have been doing a lot of listening over the early part of 2022 (through virtual conferences, webinars, peer group exchange and in discussions with individual clients). There’s no question, the pandemic, war, political and social upheavals and many other external factors are challenging us in many ways. Through all of this disruption, however, there are truths that have existed and remain since I first started doing this work and that come up again and again. I write and share this short piece as a reminder to us all as we get pushed and pulled that we can keep our bearings and be most effective as leaders if we remember our truths:
- Building trust – An expression that I like is “Progress at the speed of trust”. Whatever you are trying to accomplish, wherever you are trying to accomplish it, you will be much more successful if you take the time to build trust with partners.
- Humility – we may have some experiences to share and a piece of puzzle, but it is only a piece and it may not even be the most important one. A number of years ago, amid all of the social media buzz about ‘influencers’, I wrote about what I thought made an inspirational person, including being humble.
- Leadership and organizational commitment – Significant change takes time and it will only succeed if there is a commitment throughout your organization or network. Otherwise directions may change every time there is a leadership or senior staff change.
- Find and hold close to your peer group – The work of change is hard and having support is a sign of strength not weakness. If you can cultivate a diverse peer group, all the better. They will challenge you and help you truly understand the power of diversity and inclusion.