Leaderless

Leadership is so much more than a position, title, or years of experience. I have watched so-called leaders pawn off functional knowledge and information as if that is leadership. Here's how I think of that:

Functional knowledge is like a map that draws out things as they are, kind of like a diagram of a building, labeling each room and its functional purpose—the bathroom, lunchroom, conference room, office—and then dividing it up by departments. It's knowing the standards of accounting, legal processes, standard operating practices, etc. It's knowing the current landscape: there's a hill there, a forest there, a river, flat lands, desert, and these types of crops grow based on specific seasons. All of that is functional knowledge that is acquired over time. In fact, it's expected with time, not skill, ability, or leadership—just a matter of clocking in.

Leaders and leadership are more than that. It's being able to look at the maps, understand the work that's taking place, and listen to and understand the tone, sentiments, expressed experiences, and functionality of things taking place around us. Leaders have vision beyond the map, beyond what can be readily seen, and have foresight beyond the present conditions. They are able to share that vision, expressing the gaps between where we are and where we can go as people.

Leaders inspire us to see more, imagine more, aspire for more and in some cases believe that what is termed impossible is possible. And it's not hyperbolic, not blaming or scapegoating others as to why we aren't there yet. It's with sincerity, truth, love, and belief in the magnificent powers and ability of humanity that encourages us to climb that mighty mountain to a better place as people.

That's leadership... yet as I look around the rooms, I have found myself in of late, that strength, courage, depth of character, and vision have been truly absent, frozen by fear, lack of courage, just regurgitating functional aspects of what is currently known. Thus, leaving me uninspired and realizing this room is not filled with leaders but hierarchical doers of the same old things, bound by limitations with no vision beyond the map on the back of the hotel room door that says, "You are here, and in case of emergency, use this route to safety." Unfortunately, the truth of the matter that supposed “safe place” isn’t safe for us nor has it ever really been.

We need to get rid of or away from these so-called leaders because they are stuck in an inability to move beyond the system of things, the hierarchical systems, bound by limiting mental frameworks, and functional knowledge because that's all they’ve known or are able to do. They are not “thought leaders”, they function off repetition, reverting to the same old maps that are limited by times, and gaps of wisdom from venturing into unknown spaces. They are stuck following play books that are no longer relevant to the times, situations, experiences, barriers or challenges we are living today.

We have to now lead ourselves leaving behind those who lack courageousness, only leading us to a designated spot on a map that is unsafe for us and actually has pretty much always been… it’s just out front and raw now…unabashed arrogance, ignorance, hate, bigotry, racism, and caste systems.

Take care.

*my writings are mine and mine alone, and my expressed perspectives and thoughts.