NOW IS THE TIME
CHARGE TO READ?
YES or NO
PROVIDE AN ABSTRACT/ INTRO
(For all thought pieces, editorial team can assist)
This is a crucial moment in time as we observe a myriad of storms that are gathering: the COVID-19 storm that is dashing public health protection measures against economic recovery; the Black Lives Matter storm testing systemic racism consciousness and our morale fabric; the social media storm influencing mindsets and behaviors; and an employee storm of no permanence and uncertainty.
SOCIAL MEDIA INTRO
(For all thought pieces, editorial team can assist)
This is a crucial moment in time as we observe a myriad of storms that are gathering: COVID-19 testing our economic recovery; the Black Lives Matter movement testing our consciousness and moral fabric; the “Great Resignation” testing our employee relationships. Now is the time for strong leadership - read more from expert contributor Hugh MacLeod. (link)
INTENDED USER EXPERIENCE
LlllAA LINK TO THE ORIGINAL AND CANONICAL INFORMATION
(if applicable)
Adaptation of a ‘vignette’ from Hugh MacLeod’s book ‘HUMANIZING LEADERSHIP’ - Reflection Fuels, People Matter and Relationships Make the Difference
NOW IS THE TIME
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams
This is a crucial moment in time as we observe a myriad of storms that are gathering: the Black Lives Matter movement testing systemic racism consciousness and our moral fabric; the COVID-19 aftereffects that are dashing public health protection measures against economic recovery; the rise of social media influencing mindsets and behaviours; and the ‘Great Resignation’ affecting employee permanence and uncertainty.
This is not the time for conventional tweaks and Band-Aid approaches that only prolong the ills of our organisational systems. Leaders need to be gritty; they need to stand up against outdated systems and relationship patterns. They need to use their voice, influence, and energy to break down and remove barriers.
This is the time to strip the system of its futility and detritus so organisational systems can become nimble and capable of transformation. Silence, unawareness, indifference, and complacency are enemies of organisational improvement and sustainability. They are also enemies of a better future.
Collectively, there is an abundance of brilliant minds, brave souls, compassionate hearts, technological wizards, and creative geniuses. To all authentic and transformative leaders, now is the time to abandon stale protocols, outmoded agendas, incomplete strategies, forceful top-down mandates, self-serving ambitions, quick fixes, and the fear of change. It would be presumptuous of me to set out a one-size-fits-all ‘how to’ leadership footprint. Each organisation has its own unique: context, culture, plurality, community, and state of readiness from board to CEO to C-suite to middle management and front line. Having said that, finding a way to reframe the issues swirling within the myriad of storms would be a good start.
To start also means to stop; now is the time to:
STOP looking in the rear-view mirror.
START looking forward and seeing an image in which disruption is the new normal.
STOP the never-ending meetings of talk with no action or follow up.
START using time wisely to create momentum that embraces real action.
STOP the never-ending dance that has executives pirouetting around managers and the never-ending dance of management and front-line workers twirling around customer needs.
START addressing institutional indifference, silence, complacency and a laissez-faire casual attitude.
STOP the creation of territorial divides and self-absorbed behaviours and mindsets.
START active listening and value conversations that honour diversity and inclusion.
STOP talking about how organisational systems are broken – they are delivering what they were designed to deliver.
START a conversation about what needs to be re-designed to honour the paradox of simultaneous continuity and change.
STOP talking about organisations as separate sub-systems.
START talking about organisational systems as multi-layered and complex human systems.
STOP polite and controlled engagement processes.
START radical yet respectful candour by naming the elephants in the room–the tough issues that no one wants to talk about.
STOP glossing over "people statistics".
START a conversation about why workers suffer workplace wellness issues each day.
STOP using leadership frameworks and expectations as the fodder for polite leadership conversations, and abrogating responsibility to act accordingly.
START behaving as those frameworks suggest servant and transformative leaders ought to lead.
START creating the glue that holds the fabric of human organizations together and accept that the effectiveness of the glue is determined by the overall relationship welfare of the human organisational system.
Intention and personal character are linked. Unfortunately, this linkage gets played out daily with scandals leading to distrust for leaders. This crisis of confidence in leadership is present not only in business, but also in government, public administration, entertainment, sports, and religious organisations. In all of this, the role of character resurfaces time and time again as a contributing culprit.
I hope you do not gloss over ‘intentions and character’ as you move forward on your personal leadership path.
Now is the time for leaders to challenge the automatic perpetuation of the status quo and be open to accepting there may be no status in the quo! To quote Martin Luther King: “Never, never be afraid to do what’s right; especially if the well-being of a person is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
Going Forward Reflections:
1. Are you administrating quick fixes to symptoms or sustainable solutions?
2. What are you doing to create healthy relationships
3. What is the overall relationship welfare of your team and other teams?
4. What is your team-building role?
Adaptation…of material from the book “HUMANIZING LEADERSHIP” by Hugh MacLeod, FriesenPress, 2019. and an essay by Hugh MacLeod titled “Seven Stops and Starts for Healthcare Transformation” Longwoods Publishing Essay, July 12, 2018
