Getting What We Want - Tumblr Posts

Leaders Represent Followers to Non-Followers and Observers

One of the problems in leadership is the ability to represent their followers without being marginalized. In a corporate environment, this would look like, a leader representing his group as he reports to his superior. If the leader looses focus of the issues be dealt with - either through distraction, promotion, scope creep, or seduction - then the leaders ability to move both his superior and his followers lessons. Until the leader has no power what so ever because he is considered incapable by both his superior and his followers.

In essence, the leader has to remain independent of the issues in order to achieve the goals. And, the leader has to ask the followers the hard question, "What do WE need to change in order for us to get what we need?"

The problem is that the followers want everyone else to change, so that they can avoid the hardship of change. This however is unrealistic. In every piece of facilitation I perform, there is a point where the group has to acknowledge that: - they want something new, - they are getting something through their actions, and - they have to give up something to get what they want

Yes there is the emotional attachment to the familiar, but change requires leaders to think about new and creative ways to help people move from their current behavioral mind set to a new mindset, through a series of easy to follow steps.

For example, Steve Jobs held a belief that technology should help people do their work as a natural extension to their existing life. The iPhone was a natural extension to merging the Phone, PDA, iPod, Camera, and many other devices. Google Glass unfortunately was not a natural extension of a daily activity, and in fact got in the way of many people's ability to carry out their daily lives. However, while Google Glass may not have practical applications for the sited, it may hold many benefits for the blind.

This is how the issue remains center stage, while the leader represents the group of followers to the non-followers and observers to insure that their voice is heard, while holding the delicate balance of not becoming the issue.