| Recap of Leadership Quick Tip for January 4, 2010: the narrow line that separates leaders is courage. |
On which side of this line do you stand?
Courage falls into many arenas
You have it in some
Maybe not in others
Here a few to consider
Courage to understand your leadership self
After Martha’s thirty plus years in the corporate world
And Thad’s twenty plus consulting
We make this observation
There is a knowledge deficiency among leaders
It revolves around
A singular subject
Called self
Often you don’t see who you really are
Don’t have conscious awareness
Of your beliefs
Your fears
Your needs
Your values
This means you do not grasp
How much your unconscious stuff
Takes control of the steering wheel of your life
And how much that holds you back
Without this knowledge of self
You go through life
Like a puppet on a string
Your unconscious making you
Dance a jig to its own music
And you feel empty and unfilled
Not knowing what is gnawing at you
Intuitively sensing though
That you absolutely can
Be better do better do more
As leaders
As spouses
As parents
As children
As friends
As volunteers
And more
Courage for what is right
Maybe you have slipped into a quandary
Knowing the right thing to do
Yet not
And why
Fearing consequences
Mainly to self
Self looking more important
Taking priority over right
Holding onto the easy way out
Creating the illusion of better
Especially in the short run
But sooner or later you find
You can’t leave self behind
And in the end
Right always wins
In the end
Why wait
Courage is needed on another front too
Courage to stand up to bullies
We have our own theory about bullies
Who flash aggressive behavior
And use intimidating tactics
It is nothing more than a cover-up
For their tightly wrapped feelings
Of inferiority and insecurity
Protecting what they do not want known
About themselves
Ah and could they be projecting
Assuming others are laced
With the same feelings
Of insecurity and inferiority
As their own
The same with those
Who show their big egos
Seeing others cower
Watching them fail
Is not about others at all
It is about the self
About being threatened
Being found out
Not measuring up
Listen up everybody
Look at the real you
Smart and strong
Competent in countless ways
And secure in who you are
No backing down
Stand up and be counted
Not willing to be tough
Not willing to get
In dog fights with bullies
Holds you back
Being intimidated by anybody
Holds you back as a leader
Bottom line
Yes leading is about wisdom
That is, having leadership knowledge and skills
Like how to motivate employees
Or make performance improvement plans work
Or maintain employee job satisfaction
But leadership also is about courage
Equal partner with knowledge and skills
Happy New Year…Martha Forlines and Thad Green
