Living with leadership, at last - Building Gender Balanced Business

November 11, 2008

I have just returned from the first week of an impressive, four week Leadership Programme run by The Coaches Training Institute (CTI). It is heady, powerful stuff. And I feel like suddenly I’ve been given a new pair of glasses that bring into sudden focus a number of leadership issues I’ve been wondering about recently. Here is what I see.

First, a changed world. The election of Barack Obama is not something that just happened in the US, for the US. It is an incredible affirmation of what leadership looks like when it is allowed to blossom freely in a true democracy. And his victory speech was a direct echo of the leadership principles I have been exploring this past week.

NOT ME, YOU
Obama was careful not to focus the speech on the charismatic and immensely talented orator giving it, but on the committed and determined population that had elected him. He did not shine the light on himself. His speech was not as eloquent as he could probably have made it had he wanted to. He kept it simple. Like a real star, he chose not to absorb all the light, but to deflect it back onto the people who were responsible for making him President. He made them feel powerful and responsible. A real leadership skill.

THE VISION THING
He revelled in celebration. With Chicago, with America and with the world. And he explained what he was celebrating. Not his victory. OUR victory. That what voters had done was reclaim America’s principles and fundamental values and held them up for all the world to admire – and share. He pulled everyone in under this umbrella, from ‘palaces and parliaments’ around the world, anyone who yearned for freedom and opportunity. He ignored divisions of race, party, culture or country. He offered instead a values-and-vision beacon common to people everywhere. A real leadership skill.

YES WE CAN
He didn’t minimize the challenge ahead, or avoid the hard truths. He stated them clearly, and said the road ahead would be long and gruelling. And he didn’t leave us there, facing a dark tunnel of the future. He reminded us that America – and the world – had been in dark places before, and yet summoned the strength to progress. The simple cadences and repetitive stanzas of the final section of his speech will remind every child of the book (if they were lucky enough to get it) called The Little Engine That Could. That, above all else, success is about believing that we can be successful. And communicating that belief to others. A real leadership skill.

The collective sigh of relief heard around the planet last November 4th is what happens when democracies give birth to leaders deserving of the word.

I lifted my glass in a grateful toast upon my return home. I am deeply grateful that my son and daughter (who have both French and American nationalities), will grow up with presidents in both their countries who offer their impressive leadership skills in service to us all.

I see it with newly appreciative eyes. It is an inspiring sight.