by Saskia Harkema
Leadership is quintessential in our present world, with the many and complex problems humanity is facing nowadays. Just to mention a few: wars, climate change, depletion of energy sources, growing displacement of people across the globe, massive youth unemployment, growing robotization of the workforce.
Leadership is of all times, and has undergone many changes throughout the course of time and history. Our understanding of leadership has grown, but the question is if we are equipped properly with the knowledge and insights of what type of leadership is required for the next decades.
In my view notions of leadership have not changed at the pace, at which society changes – there is a lag that has resulted in a crisis of leadership which is threatening societies in many parts of the world. Bluntly put: leaders on a large scale lack the legitimacy they need to do their job properly. Citizens distrust leaders, see them as the ones causing all the problems we are facing, question their ability and capacity to navigate us through these turbulent times and in general feel that they lead according to principles which are obsolete and do not serve humanity properly.
I make a plea for an integral approach to leadership, which looks at it from different angles, to defend my point of view that we are desperately in need of a totally new style of leadership. I call it impact leadership that serves humanity and peace.
Leadership for humanity is the way forward and is defined by the following aspects:
1) Model the Way
Remember that the best leaders are examples of what they want their followers to be. By definition, a leader is in the lead, right up front, ready to take the heat if something goes wrong. If something does go wrong, a true leader never blames his followers even if in fact they failed. A true leader takes the blame, and then addresses how to correct the problems that arose.
2) Inspire a Shared Vision
The key to true leadership is to inspire a shared vision among your followers. Before you can convey a vision, however, you have to develop it.
You must be absolutely clear in your vision, live it before others can see it, and model it from your behavior. Determine attainable goals and focus on them. Let your vision be like a lighthouse on a hill, guiding ships to safety and warning them away from the rocks.
3) Challenge the process
As a leader, you must search out opportunities to change, grow, innovate and improve. There is no reward without risk however, so you must be willing to experiment, take risks, and learn from any mistakes. Ask questions, even if you fear the answers. But challenging the process requires you to think outside the box, developing your inner innovation as well, not all innovative strategies will be feasible or cost effective. Finally, you need to lobby and push for change, you need to influence people and excite them to your vision.
4) Enable others to act
Enabling others to act will not be achieved unless you encourage growth in others. No one likes to fail, and many take it very personally, so creating mutual respect is essential when enabling others to act. Finally, you need to be aware of the importance of trust, respect inevitably leads to trust and do what you say and say what you mean. If people feel they can rely on you, they will trust you.
5) Encourage the heart
Human beings have intellect and emotions. Failing to deal with them on those levels will ultimately backfire, we should remember that we cannot program loyalty. How? By:
• Sharing rewards
• Celebrating accomplishments
• Making celebration part of your culture
In order to address the crisis we are facing and sail through it in a humane way, without increasing the inequality in the world, not addressing the SDG goals we have set ourselves, and diligently working to create an economy of peace instead of sustaining an economy of war - we must do something, so much is obvious.
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