Leading Off the Map
"The greatest mental health problem in America today may be the substance abuse of data." - Edwin H. Friedman
...and that's from a book that is over 20 years old.
To be informed is one thing.
To be obsessed with data accumulation in the hope of obtaining (practically absolute) certainty is a fool's errand.
Pursuit of the perfect technique ranks right up there, too.
To find a technique that unlocks the door in front of you can be a fantastic victory.
But to chase after the latest-and-greatest technique (aka "fad") that promises to be our perpetual savior through the elimination of all future struggle is a waste of valuable time and energy.
Data and technique are necessary tools. They have value.
But the leadership we need in our society, our organizations, our systems of faith, and our personal lives comes from a place far beyond these two relatively superficial obsessions.
It comes from a place of risk, a place of wisdom, a place of adventure, a place of exploration, a place of maturity, a place of hope, a place of nerve, a place of vision, a place of inspiration, a place of conviction.
It comes from a leader’s willingness to lead "off the map."
In the face of the "known", anyone can take point. That's not hard at all.
But in the face of the "unknown" (which, incidentally, is anything beyond the present moment in this increasingly VUCA world we live in)…
…brave leadership that comes from a place well beyond data and technique is desperately needed.
To the men and women who dare to lead from such a place, I say a heartfelt "Thank you!"
I hope to shake your hand someday and to personally encourage you on your journey.
Blessings to you all.
==========
This Week’s Resource Recommendation:
"Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts."
– Brené Brown
…daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start.
When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work.
MMS 24-09
I would love to send our Monday Morning Stretch directly to you via email and would consider it an honor to serve you in this way. To register, please take 30 seconds to give us permission to do so below.
Blessings to you, my friend!
