Bring the SHADOW Into the Light

I’d like to plunge into the dangerous and murky waters that hide the shadow side of traditional “command and control” leadership in both business and government.?Why??Because an immense energy for innovation and change as well as personal growth is brewing and building there.?Also, if we don’t face into and do something with this shadow energy, the polarization occurring currently in the US and globally will be puny explosions compared to what may lie ahead.

The shadow side of command and control leadership is a big topic with many facets. But today, let’s see what we can learn about the shadow by looking at a stereotype of the command and control organization.?It’s the organization that we draw as a pyramid or as a traditional organization chart.?It’s an organization designed for command and control. It has some or all of the following features. . . ??

• the key role of the “top” is to plan, organize, control and motivate the “bottom”
• communication and relationships happen as defined by boxes and cascading (downward) communication channels
• thinking happens at the top, doing at the bottom
• goals, vision, values, and culture are determined at the top and then communicated to and rewarded across the organization
• charismatic leadership is a, and perhaps the, key to leadership power
• immediate results and rewards take precedence over future impacts

Remembering for a moment that the above is a stereotype, think about its shadow side.?That’s the side that is hidden from view and not exposed to the light of consciousness and inspection.?

The shadow side of institutions and individuals contains the stuff we don’t want to directly acknowledge – fears, insecurities, undeveloped parts, parts that don’t fit our prevailing way of life and work, parts that don’t fit how we want to be known and seen, parts we may be ashamed of.??It even includes capabilities we have sidelined. The shadow may be unconscious, repressed, disowned and even vilified, but it carries tons of potential and contains many messages and keys to developing ourselves and our institutions.?

Even the Universe teaches us that what we don’t easily see (e.g., dark matter and dark energy) is a crucible of energy, opportunity, evolution, and change.?I’m talking about pure, concentrated power here – like electricity -- an invisible, juiced, ?and potentially transformational force – capable of an alchemy that can change lead into gold.

So, how can we bring the shadow into the light? One way is to look for the answer to these questions (try answering for yourself personally as well as for an institution you may know).

• What is repressed, feared, sometimes villainized??Examples: Dissent; creative but challenging ideas; diversity of thought and presentation; knowledge and expertise that doesn’t correspond to position power; failure and unpredictable results
• What is undeveloped, immature? Examples:?Talents that we feel will rock the boat; expressions of individual feelings, hopes and dreams; deeper problem solving ability that relies on ego-free exploration;
• What do we see and experience when there is stress, uncertainty, or challenge? Examples:?Defensiveness, denial, blame; black/white and us/them positioning of issues; agreement without exploration and alternative exploration on difficult issues; “sucking up” and favoritism; exaggerated praise or blaming leaders; victimization and victim-thinking; lack of risk- and responsibility-taking on the line; people who can’t and won’t admit mistakes and learning, thus damaging the organization and denying themselves the privilege and catharsis of learning and change.
• What problems are we experiencing? Examples:?Distorted or flimsy information leading to poor decisions; loss and diversion of peoples’ energy (due to complaining, defensiveness, lack of focus, poor understanding and commitment, even illness); loss of talent to organizations that are better designed for today’s challenges; poor results and performance.

The list could go on – and I invite your comments and additions.?Bottom line, there are SHADOWS at work in every person and every human system – but they loom potentially darker and more ominous the closer you get to the stereotypic traditional command and control organization and leaders.

Although shadow work is messy and sometimes scary, it is essential to the developmental work and evolution that is the core work of each of us and of our institutions.?The authority differences that are inevitable and inherent in organizations and other human relationships add a layer of complexity, for when we step into the role of formal leader we take on the attributed power of those roles.?Members also take on the shadow side of dependency that is the other side of those roles.?Leader or follower, we are both ourselves and our roles.??Opportunity for growth? ?For stagnation? For victimization or corruption??Yes, all of these!?So what do we do about it??

There is huge energy locked up in the shadow.?First, recognize it. Then understand where its power comes from. Then release the energy locked in the shadow for your own, your organization's, and society's benefit.

Stay tuned for more musings on this important topic. Thank you for reading!

For more, check out in my book. It is the Second and updated edition of a short story patterned after Dante's Inferno: The Shadow Side of Power: Lessons for Leaders (and Their Supporters ?

?Read more at www.patriciamclagan.com ?

[email protected]

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