In this video, I share one of the traits of leaders that make them Leaders Worth Following:
Effective Leadership is the process of replacing despair with hope and cynicism with purpose!
This single sentence contains the essence of what it means to elevate our leadership to the next level. When we are able to do this, we truly become a leader worth following.
Despair with Hope
The ability to replace despair with hope is only possible when we truly believe that a better future is possible and within our reach. It is only possible when we truly believe that we can together co-create this future.
What this assumes is that we know what we want and what a hopeful future looks like. Our vision of the future is not only better than today, but is so much better than today’s reality that it energises us and our teams to become hopeful of achieving this.
Cynicism with Purpose
Cynicism arrives when people lose their purpose or their belief that their work matters. Their past experiences with the leadership and the systems in place creates a sense of nothing they do matters.
So, if we truly want to engage these cynics, we need to show up with a clear sense of purpose and shift their experience of leadership. We need to build trust with them, show that they and the work they do matters (and potentially do that publicly).
The vision that we paint needs to be grounded in reality, while at the same time has the potential to help all of us be and do better. Only when we show up and act consistently and in alignment with this vision, over time, can we convert the inherent cynicism with purpose and unlock all the energy and bring it to work.
In conclusion
In conclusion, the only way we can convert despair with hope and cynicism to purpose is to have a purpose led vision that is truly rooted to reality and consistently show up and act in alignment with this vision over time. This is simple but not easy.
We will be constantly put in positions where we might have to balance short term needs with the long term vision that we have created and shared with our teams.
When the test comes (and it is not if it will come but a question of when it will come), our response to that situation will decide whether we are able to bring in this shift in energy. IF we do, we truly become deserving to be called a leader worth following.
