Connected leadership. Finding our way, together.
How often do you hear “I don’t feel much of a leader”, “I’m not a leader”, “I wouldn’t call myself a leader”?
What if we are all, actually, much of the time “leaders”?
Every action we take brings with it the opportunity to influence others. We might reinforce, we might contradict, we might show a different way of being to that often seen in a particular context. We can create norms and disrupt them. However uncomfortable.
Realising we even have this opportunity is itself helpful and a leadership act. It demonstrates a level of consciousness, or presence, to the situation – “I am not alone”.
The act of observing what is going on is a leadership act too, since it transmits a certain energy. It creates a space rather than crams in ever-more noise. It invites us to slow down and really notice what is here, right now, rather than be distracted by yet-more future or past-oriented activity.
Particularly at the moment, when it seems we absolutely don't want to, thank you very much, draw attention to some seismic global behaviours which are leading us, well, over a cliff.
I was very touched listening to Alan Lane of Slung Low Theatre talking to Manda Scott about his time running a working man’s club in Leeds. He demonstrated leadership. The leadership we all can practise. The leadership we all perhaps need to contribute. Not leadership that primarily comes from position - although he does talk of consciously using his privilege in service of something different.
“For years … I had these arguments and I never got anywhere with [many of the regulars]. But I never expected to. I’m being watched. I’m setting the standard of behaviour that I will expect.”
“And who am I? I’m absolutely no-one.”
“But if we all set the standard of behaviour that we’d expect, we’d end up with something different. I’m bloody huge and I’m straight and male and all the things that are challenging and problematic. That’s fine. I can’t change any of those but what I can do is I can go first. I can be the one that you send to fight that guy over and over again. … We will not change those people’s minds, but we will be watched by [other] people.”
Perhaps we are all “bloody huge”, in reality, irrespective of the narrative we believe about ourselves right now, or those we have been fed in the past. Not “huge” at the expense of “another”, but alongside. Our behaviours are like the hyphae, those delicate, determined sinuous limbs of mycelia intuitively seeking connection, knowing in that comes strength, resilience (alongside a relinquishment of ‘individualism too, perhaps? ;-)) – “Reachin' out, Touching me, touchin' you..”
My experience is that when I put time into “reachin’ out” to those in my immediate community, I typically consume less resources. Perhaps connection is an effective way of countering the climate and ecological emergency, given its impact on my unconscious, addictive consumption habits; an aspect of leadership in this climate and ecological emergency that we need. A practice to train our mind and body, devoted to what really matters: connected leadership.
If this has energy for you, perhaps reflect:
How can you use your behaviour in service of what you believe in, minute by minute?
How often do you do this?
Likewise your contextualised privilege?
When have you realised that people are noticing what you do?
How does it feel?
Please leave a comment below, book a discovery call with one of us, and / or join us online on 5th September, or face to face in London on the afternoon of 10th November for connection and community exploration with fellow curious and action-oriented leaders.
Acknowledgements & References
With thanks to Wren Hughes for the photo of her steel sculpture, Celebrating Light.
Quotes from Be Kind, Be Useful : transforming community — ACCIDENTAL GODS at around 50 min.
Lyrics from Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.