Last week I had the pleasure to visit my brother, Jay, and his family in Phoenix, Arizona on my way out to serve on President Michael Crow’s Flag Officer Advisory Council at Arizona State University. On Sunday morning my sister-in-law, Sarah, and I hung out in her kitchen catching up on family news prior to heading to church. With time on our hands, we segued easily into proverbially solving the world’s problems.
Navigating Turbulent Seas
We spoke of how much her church has grown, and how disenfranchised young people navigating turbulent seas seem to be seeking a place where they feel valued and grounded; where they can become part of a community with structure and a sense of purpose. Sarah exclaimed, “If you don’t have a sense of who you are then the world will tell you who you are.” What words of wisdom! Many young people are searching, but struggle because they don’t have a strong enough understanding of self to even know what they’re looking for.
Sarah and I went on to discuss how people who are searching to know themselves better are drawn to those who do know who they are. Those who are grounded in their faith and personal core values, which serve as an anchor to windward in turbulent seas. Those who seek to unite around shared values—a North Star by which to navigate to a better future—rather than divide and drift into shoal water over factors such as demographic differences that can’t be controlled.
The Wisdom of the Ancients
Our conversation hearkened me back to consider the wisdom of the ancient philosophers who thousands of years later, never steer us wrong. It was the Greek philosopher Socrates who introduced the world to the concept, “Know thyself.” Socrates believed knowing oneself was vital to gain the wisdom needed to live a virtuous, ethical life.
I’m intrigued to expand Socrates’ theory to leadership, and encourage you to join me in exploring your own thoughts of how to become a better leader during turbulent times. I believe the first stage in becoming a leader of character is to learn to lead oneself. That starts with contemplating one’s core values, which drive one’s actions, which in turn shape one’s character, which ultimately determines what kind of a leader a person will become. The kind of leader who continually strives to build trust and earn respect; who believes in themself and others; and who demonstrates moral courage in standing up for what’s right and making the tough decisions. In my experience, the very best leaders are those who demonstrate the above qualities and thus inspire people to follow them because they want to, not because they must.
Look in the mirror: As someone leading during turbulent times, what can you do to provide the structure and shared values necessary for people to feel like they belong and to develop a strong sense of self?
Please join me again next time for more on Leading with Character.
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