Change the world. I’m starting with me.
on LeadershipVoid – an old feeling going mainstream
There is no doubt that I have felt this way before. The feeling I am trying to describe, I’m going to call LeadershipVoid. I don’t know of another word or feeling or emotion that describes this – to the extent that I am trying to convey.
I see LeadershipVoid as a sort of corrupt or mangled or inappropriate manifestation of charisma. In other words, a bad leader may have plenty of charisma, but there is still LeadershipVoid that is felt by various stakeholders of an organization. I think I’m taking a sort of an altruistic approach to looking at leadership. It is also idealistic. That’s ok. What good visionary or other change agent doesn’t have a large idealistic bent?
“…a charismatic leader sets the direction and the tone. And there’s no doubt that once such a person leaves an organization, there are changes.” ~ Micro Persuasion
The answers to many of my own questions are often based on my own experiences in various organizations, relationships and from various conversations. To that extent, I have a limited perspective. Don’t we all? Well, yeah, we all have limited perspectives. I’m trying to work my way through that and trying to understand and learn from previous experiences. I am trying to do my homework towards becoming a good leader myself.
One consistent thing that has happened when I have dealt with LeadershipVoid is that I have been critical of leadership. I have often thought that I could do a better job, or that I could impact people in a healthier way, or that I could in some way be better than the current rendition of leadership. Well, it’s time to figure out how to deal with that, or how to change that, or how to react to that in a productive way.
If one does not like to feel sad, not being around situations or people that bring about sadness is one way to deal with it. That can still be temporary escape. Trying to figure out the underlying reasons why sadness is there is more work and is healthier in the long run. That’s what I’m trying to do with leadership, and that is why I’m trying to not just criticize and say that leadership is missing or poor. I am taking an introspective approach and describing a feeling of LeadershipVoid and working to learn how to effectively communicate through it and grow from it.
This brings me to strategic communications. Hmmm… I’ve felt this need before. I think many organizations struggle here. I need to keep learning why and I need to keep gaining experience that will help me to help them. I need to deal with my own sadness or anger or whatever other emotion LeadershipVoid and find the underlying things that need to be dealt with. Organizations need that help. I want to help them.
(Submitted here.)
Filed under: Blogging, Ideas, JobHunt, Leadership, Life, Listening, Perspective, Writing
