Showing humility is hard, especially for traditional leaders. Old power and old culture suggests that leaders are the ones that tell people what to do, they have answers. Humility can feel soft when times are hard and may make leaders appear vulnerable. Be here’s the thing. This is exactly humility’s virtue.
Being a leader is not all about changing the world. Being a leader is about changing your understanding of leading.
So there I am, cruising along, feeling the wind whip past me on the open road. I rather deftly pull into the servo, turn off the ignition, dismount and commence filling up the bike. Living the dream! I finish refuelling and go in to pay the cashier. In those days, bike riders didn’t have to remove their helmets. I pay for the fuel (all $5) and walk back to my mighty red steed. I mount the beast, turn on the ignition, turn out the kickstarter and kick down as ‘Born to be Wild’ echoes in my mind… The engine roars into life… and in a split second the bike leaps out from under me!
By far the biggest change I have has seen is in leadership and culture. Individuals and organisation alike have been in the constant daze of cultural and leadership metamorphosis but it is still the one thing that lies at the heart of us all. It’s the ethos, the spirit, the vibe that keeps us together.
The sun has set. Your room has grown dark and is dimly lit by the bedside lamp as you crawl in under the covers and pull them up to your chin. You are five years old and your mum or dad sits beside you on the bed and opens your favourite book. The part of the day you waited for the most. It’s time for a story.
Poetry, beauty, romance and love are all about the heart. True creativity comes from the heart. Its about feeling. When you feel, you know. You get the shivers. Mr Watkins gave me the shivers, because every time I walked into his classroom, I new it was going to be a great adventure.
We have the opportunity to change the way we learn. We can be creative in the way in which we learn. We have time on our side and we can dictate the curriculum. It is this very creativity that enables us to ultimately become masters at our craft, masters of our own direction. Creativity unlocks the potential for mastery.