Leadership and Change...
Change is the only constant thing in business
I believe this to be true in business. it is how we adapt to change that makes us stand out to others.
Leaders have been tested over the past few days with this little thing thats been in the news recently called The Brexit. If you've been hiding under a rock, or maybe visiting another planet - you know all about it.
The world became a politician - with FaceBook, Twitter and all news outlets telling us what a mistake the UK has made in leaving the EU.
I'm not going to say anything about how we got into our situation - but we have, and seems as though it's here to stay.
What is interesting though, is how Leaders responded to the outcome. David Cameron (UK Prime Minister), offered a referendum to the UK people if he won the last election, he did, and true to his word he gave the UK what they wanted (his only promise by the way - please don't jump on any soap boxes and start telling me everything else the Conservative party has done - they haven't...and guess what, I voted him in - so I have a right to say what I just did)!
As a leader though, Cameron, should have known what he was going to do, once an outcome was achieved. He made promises that he would not leave his post if he lost, and he would support the nation through the change.
However, in his losing speech, Mr Cameron announced his resignation, stating that he could not be the "Captain of this ship". Leaving his successor to pick up the pieces of the what the Nation had decided.
I don't follow football, but England lost to Iceland in the Euro Competition last night, and the England manager, Roy Hodgson, also announced his resignation!
Is this the true behaviour of a leader? To quit if things do not go his or her way?
"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Gandhi said this many years ago and it is one of the most overused quotes in the business industry, and the reason I use this, is because the two camps actually went into the Brexit Battle armed with little known facts about what would happen, if we stayed or left!
Being a leader is about having a Vision that people follow, and sometimes things don't go as it seems - should one give up, should one stick their bottom lip out and throw their dummy out the pram - because they lost?
This is what change is about - its about realising that sometimes, things don't go to plan, and maybe you can be considered a stronger person and true leader when you do steer that ship of people through the difficult waters, making sure the waters are clear and transparent - not the murky, dirty ones that people tend to see.
Kübler-Ross identified that people go through a series of emotions when hit by a change in circumstance - whether it is positive or challenging.
A leader should be prepared for the setbacks and backlash of people impacted by the outcomes and have a plan of action - to insure that people are always engaged through all stages of change - a true leader would have visualised the impact of things not going their way. Being all out arrogant thinking that people will follow aimlessly, is not how one should behave, having a strategy, where an investment is made to help, guide, engage and influence people, rather than assume that people will be happy with outcomes is what makes you successful.
Quitting is, in my opinion arrogance - especially when peppered with more broken promises. Saying that you will remain a leader until a successor is found - do you have your whole heart in the job at hand.
With GREAT power, comes GREAT responsibility
That's a quote from one of my favourite writers - Stan Lee! But it is still powerful as it identifies that to be considered a leader you also have to be responsible, and when you are not showing a responsibility for the people you are expected to protect, especially through their most difficult of times, then it begs the question - were you ever a leader?
To be seen as a Leader with Vision you must be someone that embraces change, and be prepared for the critics who will always challenge you, and may sometimes win - but that does not mean that you just bow out - because the outcome wasn't what you wanted - especially when there are people relying on you, a couple, a few dozen, hundreds or even millions.
As a leader you are seen to be there to inspire people with positivity, transparency, openness, honesty as you want them to make the right decisions with the choices laid out to them. Then and only then will they aspire to make the right ones.
Jay Acharya | Director
"If I can INSPIRE them - they will ASPIRE to achieve."