Week 21.34 Leadership of Art

The art of leadership is seeing and setting a vision and then inspiring people to follow you. A leader motivates with their clear and passionate vision. They have immense energy and commitment to that vision. They are open and vulnerable, approachable, and risk-takers. And they know how to communicate authentically and skillfully in a way that moves people to follow.

I was fortunate enough this past weekend to spend half a weekend in western Massachusetts and visit MASS MoCA, the epic museum of modern art in North Adams. Over 250,000 square feet of space makes it possible to present art on a scale otherwise unimaginable. I cannot begin to describe it, so check it out here About | MASS MoCA, and if you have a chance, you should go there.

As I walked through the massive space, I was inspired by the artists' ability to expand my thinking, break me out of my paradigms, and challenge my beliefs. Like with so many things, the pandemic created separation from museum-going and allowed me to see with fresh eyes and appreciate art and the ability to interact with expansive, creative thinking. These artists are all leaders, and we can learn so much leadership from their art. Here is a sampling of what I took away. I would encourage you to click the links and explore the work.

Expansive Thinking: GLENN KAINO IN THE LIGHT OF A SHADOW

"Glenn Kaino:?In the Light of a Shadow (2021)?is inspired by the connection between protests across the globe, specifically those in response to the tragic events known as “Bloody Sunday” from Selma, Alabama, and Derry, Northern Ireland. The exhibition spans the entirety of MASS MoCA’s signature football-field-sized Building 5 gallery with an immersive installation that explores the power of collective action in forging a more just world. Ultimately, Kaino’s?In the Light of a Shadow?is about remembering the past and forging a hopeful path forward." Glenn Kaino In the Light of a Shadow | MASS MoCA This massive exhibition is a mindblowing experience in immersive storytelling using time, space, shadow, and light on a staggering scale. Experiencing IN THE LIGHT OF A SHADOW, one must reconsider what you consider limitations and think bigger. Inspired me to think of the resilience work of Taryn Marie Stejskal.

Speaking Truth: JENNY HOLZER TRUISMS

"Truisms (1977-79), comprising over 250 single-sentence declarations, were written to resemble existing aphorisms, maxims, and clichés. The series was influenced by the reading list provided by Ron Clark at the Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Program, where Holzer studied in 1977. Each sentence distills difficult and contentious ideas into a seemingly straightforward statement of fact. Privileging no single viewpoint,?Truisms?examine beliefs, mores, and truths. Arranged in alphabetical order, they were first shown on anonymous street posters pasted throughout downtown Manhattan, and they have since appeared on T-shirts, hats, electronic signs, stone floors, and benches." Jenny Holzer | MASS MoCA Truisms is a small part of a massive retrospective of Holtzer's work of over 4 decades. Her work is a testament to speaking truth in all ways, on all surfaces. Experiencing TRUISMS, I was reminded how easy it is, to tell the truth, how hard it is to be heard and how important it is to try. Made me think of Ron Carucci'S book TO BE HONEST

Seeing Behind the Mask: RICHARD NIELSEN THIS IS NOT A GAG

"In March 2020, Los Angeles-based artist Richard Nielsen began painting portraits of people in their COVID-19 face masks. On view at MASS MoCA,?This is Not a Gag?includes his first set of 49 paintings. Presented in a Zoom-like grid, the series shows the determination behind the eyes of artists, writers, and friends of the artist and MASS MoCA. The subject’s faces may be covered, but variations in masks and individual expressions speak volumes about our lives today. These paintings are not about the pandemic, per se, but about the fiercest and finest parts of human nature. Nielsen’s paintings are hung in a large grid, like an epic Zoom call, a temporarily catalyzed community, united yet apart." Richard Nielsen, This is Not a Gag | MASS MoCA I call out Nielsen's here because it illustrates the importance for leaders to see people, to see beyond the mask, whether the mask is there or not. I am reminded that leadership is about seeing and recognizing each person and appreciating them for who they are and where they are. Made me think of Oshoke Abalo's wonderful work on inclusion Symphony and Superpowers.

I spent half a day at MASS MoCA and did not even begin to see all of the inspiring works on exhibition. That night, we drove back to New York, returning ahead of Henri, the hurricane heading for New England. Even with that short visit, I felt the power of the leadership of the museum curators, the people who envisioned making this mill town into an international arts mecca, and the artist who are given the space to let their voices roar and create without limits. For me it was an affirmation of the power and leadership in art.

Week 34 of 52 Weeks of Giving: Afghanistan Relief

The IRC warns that increased conflict could spell tragedy for Afghanistan, where 18 million people are already in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The IRC has worked in Afghanistan through three decades of crisis, providing millions of people with shelter, education, clean water, health support, and other aid, and we will stay as long as we are needed. Please donate now to help us support children and families in Afghanistan and in crisis zones worldwide. Afghanistan | International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Leadership Playbook: Launching Through Change, a newsletter from Sanyin Siang

Sanyin is committed to helping others launch in pursuit of their dreams--and becoming their best selves. And while her four-point framework in?The Launch Book?(“Being You,” “Build Your Tribe,” “Pivots and Reframes,” and “Next Play”) still holds, these challenges require updated vocabulary, new insights, and co-creating with the reader: YOU.

Enter:?Leadership Playbook: Launching Through Change.?In this biweekly newsletter, she will give you new ideas and tools about motivation and conviction, inspirational stories, and practical insight to make your next big plan a reality. (99+) Why Leadership Playbook? Why this newsletter? | LinkedIn

Talent Award: Dorie Clark, Lindsay Pollack, and Erin Meyer Announcing the Thinkers50 2021 Talent Award Shortlist - Thinkers50

• Dorie Clark?is a keynote speaker and teaches for Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She is the author of?The Long Game?(HBR, 2021), Entrepreneurial You?(HBR, 2017), Reinventing You?(HBR, 2013), and?Stand Out?(Portfolio, 2015), named the number one leadership book of 2015 by Inc. magazine.?
• Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, one of the leading international business schools. Her work focuses on how the world’s most successful managers navigate the complexities of cultural differences in a global environment. She helps companies develop organizational cultures that breed both flexibility and innovation and offers cutting-edge strategies to improve the effectiveness of projects that span the globe.
• Lindsey Pollak?is a?New York Times?bestselling author and one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts, with a special focus on early career success. Lindsey’s latest book, a response to the Covid crisis, is?Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work?(Harper Business, 2021).?

Digital Thinking Shortlist: Erica Dhawan Announcing the Thinkers50 2021 Digital Thinking Award Shortlist - Thinkers50

• Erica Dhawan?is an internationally recognized leading authority, speaker, and advisor on twenty-first-century teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. She delivers innovative strategies to unlock the collective power of teams, build a culture of trust across any distance and create authentic engagement to ensure competitiveness

Leadership Award Shortlist: Todd Cherches, Hubert Joly, Oleg Konovalov Announcing the Thinkers50 2021 Leadership Award Shortlist - Thinkers50

• Todd Cherches is the CEO and co-founder of BigBlueGumball, a New York City-based management consulting firm specializing in leadership development and executive coaching. He is also a founding partner of the Global Institute for Thought Leadership and a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s MG 100 Coaches. A three-time award-winning adjunct professor of leadership at NYU and a lecturer on leadership at Columbia University,
• Hubert Joly is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School and the former chairman and CEO of Best Buy. He is also a member of the board of directors of Johnson & Johnson and Ralph Lauren Corporation, a member of the International Advisory Board of HEC Paris, and a trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. He has been recognized as one of the top 100 CEOs in the world by the?Harvard Business Review, one of the top 30 CEOs in the world by?Barron’s,?and one of the top 10 CEOs in the U.S. by Glassdoor. He is the author of?The Heart of Business – Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism?(HBR, 2021).
• Oleg Konovalov?is a thought leader, author, business educator, and consultant who explores new areas in leadership and management with a keen global focus. With his latest book,?The Vision Code?(Wiley, 2021), Oleg puts vision into the spotlight, elevating it beyond a mere mission statement to its rightful place as a fundamental element of long-term success.

Radar 2021: Ruth Gotian, Traci Fenton, and Mitch Joel Announcing the Thinkers50 2021 Radar Award Shortlist - Thinkers50

• Traci Fenton is the founder and CEO, WorldBlu (worldblu.com) – a global membership organization helping top leaders and organizations live, lead, and work in freedom rather than fear.?“A game-changer in transforming the culture of organizations."
• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and assistant professor of education in anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine; former assistant dean for mentoring and executive director of the Mentoring Academy. “Prolific mentor and educator, leading important research into the secrets of success."
• Mitch Joel is the founder of Six Pixels Group, an advisory, investing, and content producing company focused on commerce and innovation. Entrepreneur, professional speaker, investor, community leader, media personality, and host of the longest-running business podcast in existence. Built one of the largest independent digital marketing agencies that was sold to WPP in 2005.?“Expert on leveraging technology, consumer behavior, and innovation in management thinking. His podcast guest list reads like a who’s who of thought leadership."

And, as always, thank you, Marshall, for making all of this possible.

With love and gratitude

Scott