As the end of my MBA is looming in the future, it is time to think about things I learned. And one recurrent theme during the year has been Leadership. Vision of leadership, virtual leadership, leadership awards…..and this is what I understood.
Introspect yourself, Expose yourself, Be courageous !
It seems that in our narcissist societies people are eagerly looking for recognition, visibility, and seeking for 15 minutes of celebrity. Some of you want to be a leader, and then, do you really think that you will become a leader only by learning tips and tricks from your professors and from their guests ? Of course not ! Leadership is not to be found outside but from inside. Each of you, what ever your age & background, is a potential leader. You were born with it , now you have to make your passion surface through a meiotic experience, in your job, in your family, today or later, with the help of the great people you will meet.
Why your passion ? Because, for me, a leader is someone passionate, a person who wants to change the perception of reality or ideas of others, makes them dream, makes them achieve things they never had thought possible. Someone who is different, someone who is courageous.
Have you noticed that our perception of reality considerably influences the way we react when facing problems ? Imagine yourself driving your car on the highway. Suddenly, a car accident happens just 100 meters ahead. Most of people will hit the cars as they focused on it instead of looking where they could drive their car. It is the same thing with issues that seem impossible to overcome to many people. As a leader, you have to step back, control your emotions to analyze steadily situations, and then go forward, be passionate and use your emotions to bring others with you. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Can you lead people without making decisions, without taking any risk ? Definitely not. A leader is to change the world, how could it be done without choosing? You can fail, but who has never failed ? What is important is to bounce and try again, to change your objectives, but never your values, your believes. Act, do not undergo change. Do not be afraid, change brings opportunities to learn, improve and grow. And what is true for you is also true for people you are responsible for. A leader needs to make them responsible for their actions, be in charge of their future and at the end, help them to grow. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Why would people die for you ? Trust, security, presence in hard times is what is required from a leader. You have to bring people security, like a father with his kids. Be honest, tell the truth to people as strong and lasting relationships rely only on trust. Just imagine a CEO facing and fighting with his employees against low cost labor companies competition: “Yes some of you will have to leave, but imagine you after company’s reorganization, enjoying your success in our fierce competitive world!” “ I will be there with you, we will fight together and succeed”. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Emotions are a double edge sword for a leader. You have to control them in order to make the right decisions, but you also need them to convince, motivate and fill with enthusiasm your team, your friends, your family. When you are angry, when something is revolting you, say it! Words remains words; Your ideas, your convictions might just go from your mouth to their brains and not from your heart to their heart. Only emotions achieve that! Again pay attention to the fact that people will believe you only if you are really passionate, only if you are completely, definitely, deeply convinced by what you say. That’s why you must discover what drives you and where you want to be as you will convince others only if you are convinced yourself. What do you really want? Change our world? Leave a track? Teach others? Bring others with you?
Could it be that after all? Will you be a leader just because you are passionate? No, again. There is no leader without the others. How will you address their needs, their fears if you do not know these? A leader listens to his/her feelings, of the others’ feeling, as a leader proposes a vision, a solution to people difficulties. You need to be prepared to listen. Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Now that you have found this alter ego, passionate, willing to fight to protect and to help your people…you have to realize that being a leader is also being responsible. What about Milosevic? Yes, he and his people committed atrocities! But he was a leader who stood up against harassments Serbian communities suffered in some parts of the country. He was there and made their pain his, and promised to protect them. Therefore beware of your responsibility ! Again, you need to understand why you want this authority: to manipulate, to humiliate, or to change the world for the benefit of Human being. Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Your life is not only professional, you have also a family. Too many professional success stories are counterbalanced by family disasters. Home leadership is less valued by our developed societies, but this remains the core of our responsibility. As a father and mother you are leaders for your children. Stand by them, be present, make them grow, make them be passionate and be the leaders of the next generation (or do not conceive them!) Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Today, I wrote this and I do not even know how you will perceived it. I took a risk . Do you believe it was easy ? I was passionate, exposed myself and I hope, convinced each of you that you will find this alter ego inside, willing to do the good, willing to change our world.
Introspect yourself, Expose yourself, Be courageous !
It seems that in our narcissist societies people are eagerly looking for recognition, visibility, and seeking for 15 minutes of celebrity. Some of you want to be a leader, and then, do you really think that you will become a leader only by learning tips and tricks from your professors and from their guests ? Of course not ! Leadership is not to be found outside but from inside. Each of you, what ever your age & background, is a potential leader. You were born with it , now you have to make your passion surface through a meiotic experience, in your job, in your family, today or later, with the help of the great people you will meet.
Why your passion ? Because, for me, a leader is someone passionate, a person who wants to change the perception of reality or ideas of others, makes them dream, makes them achieve things they never had thought possible. Someone who is different, someone who is courageous.
Have you noticed that our perception of reality considerably influences the way we react when facing problems ? Imagine yourself driving your car on the highway. Suddenly, a car accident happens just 100 meters ahead. Most of people will hit the cars as they focused on it instead of looking where they could drive their car. It is the same thing with issues that seem impossible to overcome to many people. As a leader, you have to step back, control your emotions to analyze steadily situations, and then go forward, be passionate and use your emotions to bring others with you. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Can you lead people without making decisions, without taking any risk ? Definitely not. A leader is to change the world, how could it be done without choosing? You can fail, but who has never failed ? What is important is to bounce and try again, to change your objectives, but never your values, your believes. Act, do not undergo change. Do not be afraid, change brings opportunities to learn, improve and grow. And what is true for you is also true for people you are responsible for. A leader needs to make them responsible for their actions, be in charge of their future and at the end, help them to grow. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Why would people die for you ? Trust, security, presence in hard times is what is required from a leader. You have to bring people security, like a father with his kids. Be honest, tell the truth to people as strong and lasting relationships rely only on trust. Just imagine a CEO facing and fighting with his employees against low cost labor companies competition: “Yes some of you will have to leave, but imagine you after company’s reorganization, enjoying your success in our fierce competitive world!” “ I will be there with you, we will fight together and succeed”. Expose yourself, be courageous.
Emotions are a double edge sword for a leader. You have to control them in order to make the right decisions, but you also need them to convince, motivate and fill with enthusiasm your team, your friends, your family. When you are angry, when something is revolting you, say it! Words remains words; Your ideas, your convictions might just go from your mouth to their brains and not from your heart to their heart. Only emotions achieve that! Again pay attention to the fact that people will believe you only if you are really passionate, only if you are completely, definitely, deeply convinced by what you say. That’s why you must discover what drives you and where you want to be as you will convince others only if you are convinced yourself. What do you really want? Change our world? Leave a track? Teach others? Bring others with you?
Could it be that after all? Will you be a leader just because you are passionate? No, again. There is no leader without the others. How will you address their needs, their fears if you do not know these? A leader listens to his/her feelings, of the others’ feeling, as a leader proposes a vision, a solution to people difficulties. You need to be prepared to listen. Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Now that you have found this alter ego, passionate, willing to fight to protect and to help your people…you have to realize that being a leader is also being responsible. What about Milosevic? Yes, he and his people committed atrocities! But he was a leader who stood up against harassments Serbian communities suffered in some parts of the country. He was there and made their pain his, and promised to protect them. Therefore beware of your responsibility ! Again, you need to understand why you want this authority: to manipulate, to humiliate, or to change the world for the benefit of Human being. Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Your life is not only professional, you have also a family. Too many professional success stories are counterbalanced by family disasters. Home leadership is less valued by our developed societies, but this remains the core of our responsibility. As a father and mother you are leaders for your children. Stand by them, be present, make them grow, make them be passionate and be the leaders of the next generation (or do not conceive them!) Introspect yourself, be courageous.
Today, I wrote this and I do not even know how you will perceived it. I took a risk . Do you believe it was easy ? I was passionate, exposed myself and I hope, convinced each of you that you will find this alter ego inside, willing to do the good, willing to change our world.
No comments:
Post a Comment