Leadership Tension

During my Leadership program, over a decade ago, I spent about 12 hours one day SPINNING OUT.

I'd gotten triggered by an exercise ...

I would not have ended that exercise the way the leaders did.

While debriefing, I said, "We went straight from my heaven to my hell!"

One leader replied, "Lauri, the definition of suffering is wanting things to be other than what they are."?

I thought, "Why is he spouting this trite bullshit at me right now. Can't he see this is important to me?!"

He repeated, "Lauri, the definition of suffering is wanting things to be other than what they are."

Then the other leader said, "Besides, isn't that thing you want YOUR life purpose."

My inner teenager, inner protectors, and soul suckers went on to have a 12-hour pity PARTY in my head!!!

(They told me he was a fraud. They told me to get what I could of my money back, but to stay through the end of the weekend. I'd show them!)

Finally, 12 hours later, the voice of wisdom within me whispered, "Lauri, there's a difference between resisting what is, and accepting what is while moving forward to create change."

Damn!

That's when I got it: That Leadership sits in the creative tension between presence and vision.

What does Leadership mean to you? (Comment below.)

With passion & love,

Lauri