I read something this week about 2020 being the year of “2020 Vision” and that phrase stuck with me. 2020 has certainly been the year we did not see coming. That much is clear. But now that it is here and we are in the middle of it, literally at the halfway point: What have we learned and what are we learning?
The reason the term “2020 Vision” made an impression on me is that it feels like we are starting to see clearly for the first time in a long time. What is important to us is now coming into focus. I feel there is a leadership awakening on a deeper level and it is moving quickly.
- We have become awake to the possibilities of finding more meaning in our day to day lives, due in part to our experiences with Covid-19 and the resulting home isolation.
- We have awakened our collective abilities to cooperate, collaborate and coinvent new solutions to new challenges (and new opportunities) in a very short period of time, since businesses, NGOs and governments have responded quickly to our changing situation driven by Covid-19.
- We are awakening our sense of compassion, fairness and justice, as we are beginning to confront deep seated societal issues surrounding racism and discrimination through the BLM movement.
Truly, in front of our eyes, whether we are actively participating or not, an awakening is underway, and leadership is being challenged to evolve even more rapidly.
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As leaders, we must become and remain awake. Here’s how:
- Recognize we do not have all the answers, practice humility.
- Accept that we cannot fully understand what is coming next.
- Seek out new and opposing voices and check our reactions.
- Harness our team’s collective intelligence – focus on improving cooperation & collaboration.
- Stay open to new ideas and innovation – remain agile.
- Rely on partners.
- Re-evaluate diversity programs and goals.
- Be prepared to let the past go!
I have written about my 5D Leadership model before and successful leaders today are thriving in what I call the fifth dimension. This is an environment where power and decision making are shared frequently and peer to peer accountability is present. Leaders in this dimension practice mindfulness, operate in the moment with humility and practice a more transparent communication style. This allows them to be extremely agile and adaptive. They have high emotional and social intelligence and are inclusive in their approach to gathering input and fostering new ideas. These organizations have a learning culture where it is safe to fail, and growth is not only encouraged but expected. Creativity and innovation thrive here. These organizations and leaders encourage out-of-the-box thinking, establish partnerships & alliances more readily, and expect to create change. They are willing to let go of the past and start over if necessary. You can take an inventory of your 5D competencies here.
An awakening is happening. What have we learned and what are we learning?
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