“We are all much more simply human than otherwise.”
– Harry Stack Sullivan –
Human beings deserve a human experience in the workplace. That is possible…that actually happens…when leaders decide to be more human themselves; when they decide to make what is common between us the foundation of their leadership.
In the face of complexity and change – the relentless pressure of change – this can be very difficult to do even for the most well-intentioned leader. The questions before them – before us – are daunting and powerful:
- How do we eradicate fear and replace it with love?
- How do we shift from the exhaustion of change to the inspiration of possibility?
- How do we release anxiety and capture imagination?
- How do we free ourselves from our well-worn ruts and unleash creative energy?
- How do we replace tension and struggle with ease and pleasure?
To work with these questions sincerely and authentically, wholehearted leaders do three things:
1. Start within: an intentional inquiry and continuous dialogue about who they are, where they shine, how they struggle and what they most want from their work and their life.
2. Strengthen relationships: a dedication to the truth that only through reliance, trust and vulnerability are we able to create the future we desire.
3. Commit to a lifetime of learning: a commitment to the raw humility that the only answer that makes any sense in the face of complexity and change is to just keep learning.
I created RULE13 Learning to support leaders who make the commitment to live the hard questions; to stand with those leaders as they strive to be more courageous, more resourceful and more generous in the face of complexity and change.
“There is no organization large enough for even one human soul.”
– David Whyte –
DAVID BERRY is the author of “A More Daring Life: Finding Voice at the Crossroads of Change” and the founder of RULE13 Learning. He speaks and writes about the complexity of leading in a changing world. Connect with him on Twitter at @berrydavid.
