The Urgency of Leadership

I can’t tell you how frequently people share with me the challenges they see within their organizations, companies, and coalitions. They notice unresolved conflicts, poor outcomes, staffing shortages, or lack of cooperation to name just a few. People often make astute observations about who or what is causing this challenge. But these are not leadership conversations. Rather, they are indicators that there is inadequate investment in leadership development.

A leadership conversation begins with self-reflection and ends in action. If there is a unresolved conflict, a leader asks: “how have I created a space where conflicts remain unresolved?” When people are quitting coalitions, a leader asks: “what am I contributing to the failure to create common agreements, trust, and cooperation that are necessary to achieve our goals?”

This does not let others off the hook for their own part in creating poor outcomes, it just shifts the conversation to the place where the leader has the most power to create a different outcome. The moment I finally understood this, my leadership transformed. When I was willing to see my own part, I could see more clearly my next steps.

I chose a career that has deep meaning for me, and that means I have to stand as a leader if I truly want to make a difference. I know the same is true for you. This is why investments in leadership development are so crucial.