Keeping the Stars shining brightly

LinkedIn offers a rich and varied resource of advice, top tips and best practice guidance for leading, leadership and being the best ever leader anyone has ever known. Other places such as Harvard Business Review, or professional bodies such as the CMI, or management consultancies also do this. And this applies to all levels of leading: team, department, business-wide, sector-level, and so on. Readers home in on what they're seeking or on what click bait of soundbite attracts their attention according to their learning needs or, possibly, biases and preferences in search of validation, affirmation, intellectual interests or encouragement.

There is as much again to find about being a great employee and a wonderful team member where collegiality, trustworthiness and all-round approachability are some of the many themes to consider and try out. This is also played out for teams at all levels - from the small to the large, from operations to executive, from project to portfolio. Here can be found really important reminders about leadership being not always positional, but as much if not often more about influencing and peer-to-peer dynamics towards common goals.

With a new year and an outlook of considerable challenge and change opportunity for many, here's a pause for thought about a third aspect to leadership. In addition to the perspectives on top-down and sideways leadership, there is also the bottom-up space. Sometimes this is framed around 'managing upwards' in terms of optimising the time, focus and decision-making capital of a line manager or senior executive(s). It also pops up in discussions about making (or getting) the most out of appraisals and salary reviews.

But, against the backdrop of a post-pandemic well-being zeitgeist, the interest here is in the contribution to make in helping those humans who are in positions of one's leaders to give the leadership that one believes is best. Not all those in leadership positions were created equal, or come to their responsibilities in the same way, or have managed to avoid the juggling of work responsibilities with calls on them from other parts of their lives.

The personal energy that is consumed by giving the best in leadership behaviour and practice is most likely not infinite, and most likely a resource under sustained competing calls. Even the brightest of stars will eventually burn out, or explode - but many do so in ways that create the conditions for the birth of new stars. Some nebulae come from the gas and dust thrown out by the explosion of a dying star, such as a supernova. Other nebulae are regions where new stars are beginning to form - 'star nurseries'. Many people very much like stars and, whilst accepting that bright and not-so-bright stars come and go, hope to continue to see them shine in our respective night skies. What is our role then in keeping those stars shining for as long as naturally possible.

In the Chinese Zodiac, 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. A sole imaginary animal, the Dragon is the most vital and powerful beast in the Chinese zodiac, a sharp-tongued hothead. Dragons were once thought to be best suited for world leadership, with dominance and ambition as character traits. Gifted with innate courage, tenacity, and intelligence, Dragons are enthusiastic and confident. They are not afraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. However, Dragons are sometimes regarded as aggressive, angry and closed to criticism. They don't consider themselves irritating and arrogant. Instead of following tradition, they strive for a smooth future.

The Wood Dragon is seemingly one of the least desirable, being introverted and yet outstanding and easy-going in the limelight. In these days of appreciation of neurodiversity, these general Zodiac characteristics and traits may require a re-work. What is true though is that not all those who are in leadership roles are cut from the same cloth of personality. And that suggests that all those looking for something from their leadership might also need to adjust expectations and adjust their approaches to encouraging the best from leadership, rather than just assume it will come.

What might you think about this during 2024, the Year of the (Wood) Dragon. What do the bright stars in your constellation of leadership consume to be bright in the way one might want. How can their energy source be replenished, nourished and sustained by what those around them could choose to do regularly - and through that learn about leadership by proxy.