LEAD with Wisdom: Leadership, Engagement and Diversity

 

LEAD with Wisdom: Leadership, Engagement and Diversity

Monday, July 27, 2009

Reflecting on ‘The Summit’ – Respect Due

For the last two Sunday nights, July 19th and 26th, I was riveted to CBC television, watching what I think could have been a big screen movie, “The Summit”. A terrific ensemble cast lead by the always stellar, Christopher Plummer, depicting the abject failure of leadership, its outcome and to a lesser degree – attempts at redemption. “This compelling movie focuses on a North American military-engineered smallpox virus smuggled into Canada as world leaders gather for the G8 Summit …” As promoted on www.cbc.ca.
One of my favourite leadership authors is Noel Tichy and his guide through ‘teachable moments’ - this movie had many. And further, it has made me reflect on the word summit as a metaphor for leadership. I went to my thesaurus and noted these words: peak, pinnacle, top, crest, crown, apex, zenith, culminating point, climax, (and oh yes, the noun, a type of meeting). Of course all of these words and phrases could be referring to one’s lofty position– the height of power. Being ‘at the summit’ is seen to be a decided advantage, parlayed into leadership good. Here one can better survey the landscape from the best vantage point - see more, do more, help more and effectively make a significant difference in the lives of the many who have yet to summit. Yes, yet another definition, the verb.
Those who successfully summit the highest mountains in the world might suggest that one is only as good as their equipment, their climbing partner/team, their guide, their Sherpa, their planning, their preparation - mental and physical, their respect for the mountain above and the landscape around and below. In this movie, enough people, even enough leaders became thoughtfully engaged in time to stop a small-pox outbreak; in spite of some unethical members of the team. They surveyed the landscape, asked the tough questions and in the end showed ethical leadership, even setting personal ambitions aside. There are leaders of our time that work to do just that but we need many more. Of course the antithesis of summit is: base, bottom, to descend. Well, if we’re not going up, we’re standing still or going down. How can we use ‘teachable moments’ to lead and to select leaders that help us to summit?

Lake Louise, AB. Photo taken by Marva Wisdom. All rights reserved

INCLUSIVITY, AN ALLURING PROPOSITION

I was sharing with one of my mentors today that increasingly, I am aware that what I do and who I am indivisible - a head/heart thing with like-minded individuals and organizations, enabling my efforts toward real belonging and real inclusivity. I am thrilled that so many people and organizations – get it!

I started down this path in 1999 as a personal quest for a feeling of belonging. I discovered amazing leaders along my journey and later awakened to the realization that Leadership, Engagement and Diversity/Inclusivity (LEaD) worked in tandem. That it is about how we lead, who we select as leaders and how we engage each other in building community… that sense of belonging …of inclusivity.

It is my hope that the heightened sense of awareness that is so rapidly evolving across communities will be accompanied by a self-correcting mechanism, so that the allure of feeling that building inclusive communities rests with any single organization or any single leader is but fleeting ...because if we take that path, we risk fostering the opposite – exclusivity.

Reflecting on ‘The Summit’ – Respect Due

For the last two Sunday nights, July 19th and 26th, I was riveted to CBC television, watching what I think could have been a big screen movie, “The Summit”. A terrific ensemble cast lead by the always stellar, Christopher Plummer, depicting the abject failure of leadership, its outcome and to a lesser degree – attempts at redemption. “This compelling movie focuses on a North American military-engineered smallpox virus smuggled into Canada as world leaders gather for the G8 Summit …” As promoted on www.cbc.ca.

One of my favourite leadership authors is Noel Tichy and his guide through ‘teachable moments’ - this movie had many. And further, it has made me reflect on the word summit as a metaphor for leadership. I went to my thesaurus and noted these words: peak, pinnacle, top, crest, crown, apex, zenith, culminating point, climax, (and oh yes, the noun, a type of meeting). Of course all of these words and phrases could be referring to one’s lofty position– the height of power. Being ‘at the summit’ is seen to be a decided advantage, parlayed into leadership good. Here one can better survey the landscape from the best vantage point - see more, do more, help more and effectively make a significant difference in the lives of the many who have yet to summit. Yes, yet another definition, the verb.

Those who successfully summit the highest mountains in the world might suggest that one is only as good as their equipment, their climbing partner/team, their guide, their Sherpa, their planning, their preparation - mental and physical, their respect for the mountain above and the landscape around and below. In this movie, enough people, even enough leaders became thoughtfully engaged in time to stop a small-pox outbreak; in spite of some unethical members of the team. They surveyed the landscape, asked the tough questions and in the end showed ethical leadership, even setting personal ambitions aside. There are leaders of our time that work to do just that but we need many more. Of course the antithesis of summit is: base, bottom, to descend. Well, if we’re not going up, we’re standing still or going down. How can we use ‘teachable moments’ to lead and to select leaders that help us to summit?

Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump

Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump Interpretive Centre - a must visit if you are ever near Lethbridge, Alberta; great archival displays and a very moving film. We have such little knowledge of Aboriginal history - our country's history. This must change. We must become more engaged, building an inclusive society where we all have the opportunity to prosper.

In 2007, I attended an International Leadership Association Conference (in Vancouver) as a delegate - http://www.ila-net.org. One of our presenters was Chief Shawn Atleo. Needless to say, I am not surprised that he is now Grand Chief of the AFN. His leadership presentation was moving. He seemed to have that 'it' factor. I have no doubt that he is rearing to go, bridging divides; so the rest of us, Aboriginal or not, let's roll up our sleeves!

"Cambridge Trooper Gate" - A Healthy (Media) Feed

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I am constantly amazed at how fully we embrace the information fed to us by the media. It becomes a significant determinant of our leadership choices and our level of engagement. I have been watching with interest, the healthcare debate; the Obama bashers (are you a real American?); the "Cambridge Trooper Gate" - a lesson in diversity and real inclusivity if there was one. Yes, great to stir the pot but at some point you have to do more than stir to get an outcome that you can call a "healthy feed".

One of the World's Best Kept Leadership Secrets

There are many organizations that use the multiplicity of relationships to effectively lead and make a difference in their community, country and world. Last evening I was fortunate to participate as a part of one such an organization, in a meeting of district presidents and international service directors. The organization is Rotary. www.rotary.org

My first real experience with Rotary was in 2006 when my very dear friend Alex Macrae asked me to be his lunch guest at a regular Rotary meeting. Have you ever walked into a room and within seconds of surveying the room, you feel yourself backing out the door – hoping no one notices as you conclude that you don’t belong?

But for his reassurance of Alex as a long-time member of Rotary and a member of what seemed at the time the Club’s overwhelming demographic, I would not have entertained staying – I would not have given this organization a chance.

That was 2006. Three years later, I am listening to even more amazing stories of the difference Rotarians are making all over the world, the hope and vision of doing more and marvelling at what a special group of people I get to hang with.

You see, my decision (with prompting) has significantly enhanced my understanding of networks, networking and the multiplicity of relationships. It has broadened my leadership dimension and deepened my passion for diversity and engagement.

Next blog, I’ll share specifics of how including Rotary as a part of my leadership, diversity and engagement journey has enriched my life and purpose. Your organization may not be Rotary, indeed you may still be searching – but I often think about my decision to embrace difference and have faith and trust in my friend and mentor when he said Rotary needs you. I think I needed Rotary - one of the world's best kept leadership secrets. Check it out and judge for yourself! www.rotary.org

Leadeship Engagement and Multiplicity

Each of us as leaders, express our talent and experience – our diversity in varying ways. The multiplicity (I love that word) of our relationships allow us to positively impact lives beyond our knowledge, yet we are often reluctant to share and express our thoughts and ideas beyond our comfort zone; beyond our fears.

While growing up …and I’m still growing, the level of my engagement with those I perceived to be leaders were limited to the confidence I felt in my own ability. Upon reflection, I am not sure whether it mattered if they were bullies, authoritarians, ill-tempered or ill-mannered oafs. What seem to matter is whether I thought I would have the opportunity to engage enough to make a difference.

So, getting that mental block out of the way has lead me to really think about some of our iconic leaders. They were not bereft of poor leaders – bullies and brutes. They overcame that by developing and expressing their diverse talent and experience – growing leadership from within. They stepped out of their comfort zone, beyond the water cooler whispers: Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and Ghandi – they still walk among us. Could it be you? Moving out of the shadows - leading from within!