Amidst the relentless tough news of the past months, COVID restrictions, uncertain futures, worrying headlines, and political nitpicking, I met with a group of my professional peers last week.
This meeting was our first face-to-face meeting after a year of Zoom meetings. The group atmosphere was warm and appreciative of simple human connections recognising years of working together, yet arriving in this new and fresh moment.
We had broadened our lens on what was happening in the world and focused on exquisite moments in practice. These were moments we hadn’t experienced before; moments of vitality and freshness during COVID. There were many breakthroughs, moments of vision, creativity, and ordinary humanness.
In one of these, my colleague Jerri Bassi invited us to recall a particular moment from the top of a hill overlooking Wellington city one early morning during the lockdown. There was no sound, no movement other than the air. The city was completely still, silent. This quiet stillness was a moment in our history and in the history of the world. This stillness and silence lasted hours and days, and it was our experience. You would have experienced something similar where ever you were – a completely new moment in time.
What are the areas in your work where you can shine the light for others? Click To TweetRecalling this moment uplifted me and reminded me that fresh beginnings are possible. I have sharpened my attention to be alert to new moments and fresh beginnings. Successful leaders paint a true picture, a real picture. They don’t see through rose coloured glasses, nor do they keep a doom lens.
Successful leaders can shine a light for others to see the way forward in complex and challenging situations. They remind others of their talents and capacities. They also know when to move the light to shine on what is possible. And that means knowing when to say no and when to stop doing things that no longer work.
What are the areas where you can shine the light for others, taking them into new territory?