In a recent article, I offered the metaphor of leadership as a kind of gardening, asking you to consider the conditions leaders endure and create as if it were a flower garden. Real leaders fertilize and cultivate everything within their reach, whether with a smile of acknowledgment to an associate in another division, a deserved […]
leadership
Real Leaders Fertilize
Bloom Where You’re Planted A primary rule of biology is that if a thing can grow/live, it will. Witness these brave poppy flowers, not just growing, but blooming. There between the railroad ties, amongst rocks and rubble, regularly being run over by train cars, never getting regular watering, yet they hang on! True to their […]
The “Four Fold Way” of Leading–Part Four
Part Four: Stay Open Rather Than Attached To Outcomes Leaders often walk a tightrope between staying the course and being agile. It’s easy to forget there is a long and fruitful path between single-minded rigidity and being so open-minded that your brains fall out. I’ll call this leadership paradox “clear-sighted openness.” The key to holding […]
The “Four Fold Way” of Leading–Part Two
Part Two: Honor Your Heart The last entry, “Show Up!”, talked about the first “way” of being when in a coaching relationship and/or leadership situation. Part Two, “Honor Your Heart,” takes us a little deeper into the journey. ”Heart” in this context has to do with “the heart of the matter” or core values. Honoring your […]
The “Four Fold Way” of Leading–Part One
Angeles Arrien wrote a wonderful book years ago titled “The Four Fold Way” detailing the wisdom of indigenous peoples for creating healthy relationships for community. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Arrien a few years ago and received her permission to use a modification of her model in the business world to give […]