The sparks of a dying fire rose to the treetops underneath a clear dark sky. Most of the men were asleep, the others haunted by nightmares of inevitable death. A filthy stench enclosed the camp and a young garçon threw a log on the flames. Jeanne looked up and saw the blank eyes of the soldier. Filled with agony to his core, revealed by his shaking hands. She held her gaze and let him see her, recognizing their common fear. Yes, Jeanne was afraid. Nevertheless, her determination was stronger and she raised her fist and gave the boy a nod of encouragement. He thanked her in silence and Jeanne watched his slender nervous figure trudge off. Touched by the soldier’s soul, it couldn’t stop her from her ritual; to visualize the coming victory in the glowing ashes. Her eagerness was strong, an eagerness to ride, ride to triumph. In the East, the sun emptied the heavens of the stars.

One can mere speculate what ran through the heads of Jeanne d’Arc, Winston Churchill, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther, and countless other leaders in turning moments of their lives and their leaderships. We have our heroes of the past to inspire us yet we must not forget to acknowledge the leaders who continue to lead every day, often without praise. This past year, in particular, more people have shown their quality as leaders. Nurses, doctors, scientists, teachers, and common neighbors have during this pandemic lead by example. Leaders are present in literally all parts of society, from politicians to stay-at-home parents. These are my reflections and observations on what makes a great leader in modern times.   

In sum:

Be visionary, balance your act and stay true.

Leadership

In my general view, leadership is to reach goals through others or to make others deliver. A leader should support the followers to reach a common goal. To hold their back and make strategic choices on which road to take and lead by example. Leadership is, in that sense, serving others more than anything.

Leaders have been vital for the survival of our species, alongside the abilities to adjust and cooperate. We all have our definition and association of leadership. Here are some questions to ponder:

• Which great leaders have inspired you through human history?
• What qualities constitute a great leader?  
• Is there a great leader in your life?
• When are you a leader?

Although everyone might not be fit for leadership in the traditional sense, such as managers or coaches, we all have the qualities of being a leader. If we embrace a broader perspective we discover indirect leaders who, by their example, innovations, and, ideas inspire others to action. Authors, researchers, artists, activists, entrepreneurs, and the everyday person, you and I, who can inspire others by a way of being. One could argue leadership differs depending on the context, and yes, it might be necessary to take on different approaches depending on the circumstances. However, from my experience, certain components of leadership all modern leaders should ponder and consider incorporating.

“Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do it.”

– Frances Hesselbein

Your number one priority

The whole essence of being a leader is to reach goals through others. Therefore, your number one priority, as a leader, is the people you are leading. Care of the ones you lead. Create preconditions for authenticity by adopting an inclusive environment. See the human being and care about their individual goals. A great leader is one who can harness the strength of diversity, acknowledge the complexity of being human and bring forth competence. To value health and wellbeing will increase output and satisfaction, a great return on investment.

William lashed out during the meeting, calling the new idea stupid, questioning everything about it. Everyone could tell he was irritated and stressed. On top of that, he had handed in several reports late. Sanchez, the manager, called William to his office after the meeting. When both sitting down, with a caring yet clear tone Sanchez asked William how he was doing. With a cracked voice, William opened up about his failing marriage while Sanchez listened. He suggested William talk to a counselor at the Occupational Health Care. They also discussed how the workload could be adjusted for the immediate time being, for William to get back on his feet without the company suffering. Sanchez made clear he would support William but he needed to do his part and not take his problems out on his co-workers.

The people you are leading are your number one priority. Be visionary, balance your act and stay true.

Pay attention

We are different when it comes to picking up signals from the people around us and to what degree we perceive our surroundings. I encourage leaders to pay attention to what is going on, daily. Also, plan time for reflection where you focus your attention. However, the need for balance is great. Don’t dig too deep in your analyses if you are a person who already has a strong attentiveness. On the other hand, if you seldom think about how people may perceive their surroundings you might want to pay a little more attention. Why? Because people are living in different worlds.

Lucas, the football coach, listened as the captain explained the origin of the dispute between a few players. Lucas just wanted to go back to reviewing the playbook with everyone. When the captain was done the room went silent, and all the players looked at Lucas. He replied: “Oh come on, just use common sense! Solve it. Now let’s get back to tomorrow’s game.” A piece of advice he would find to deepen the conflict within the team.

Furthermore, please leave the concept of common sense. Common sense is often considered the best cure to interpersonal quarrel and a preconditioner for healthy cooperation when it is a recipe for misunderstandings and frustration. Behavioral norms most people agree on do exist and I too want to adhere to the “just use common sense people” at times. However, different interpretations of situations will also continue to accompany us. We do have different common senses. Your definition of a hilarious joke might offend another. When you feel ignored by someone’s body language another does not. Showing up late may be natural to you but your colleague might rage with feelings of disrespect. And don’t get me started on written communication, i.e. e-mail courtesy. You, as a leader, need to have clear communication stating your expectations.

If you are drawn to the common-sense method, I encourage you to define what common sense is for you, for your team, your department, etc. Otherwise, you are not creating an environment for common sense.

Pay attention and be clear with your messages. Be visionary, balance your act and stay true.

Be a storyteller

This is not about fairytales or imaginative gibberish. You as a leader need to be a storyteller and choose what stories to tell, to yourself and to the ones you lead. Ask yourself:

• What is your focus when addressing common goals, challenges, and other people?
• How is your tone during the small talk?
• Which achievements, experiences, and individuals can you highlight and communicate?

Negativity, shame, and hurtful gossip are creating a certain environment and narrative. To turn the narrative towards positivity, humor, and caring will have immense results. This is not the same as shying from conflicts or difficult challenges. Happiness and positivity cannot exist without their counterparts. But remember, the story we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others and create with others will have a vast impact on leadership and results. I would also recommend encouraging the ones you lead to reflect on this matter. Ponder their responsibility; when it comes to their behavior, development, and goals. With that said, you need to lead the way.

Amanda experienced a decrease in motivation and feeling of community within the organization where she was the head of several volunteers. Negativity spread and they seldom talked about victories or a job well done. To set common goals, Amanda gathered the group. The goals were put up on a board together with success stories from their work. Each week a new story was highlighted. They celebrated their victories and created a new narrative for themselves. A whole day was set to discuss group development and incite self-reflection.

“Stories constitute the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal.”

-Dr. Howard Gardner.

Be a storyteller and be wise in choosing your stories. Be visionary, balance your act and stay true.

Until next time

Per Hydén