Lens of Leader

This season, the view to the outside world in southern Ontario is spectacular.

The leaves and flora are changing colours. Bright red, orange, yellow and a combination of colours pepper the landscape, the sidewalks, gardens and roads. There is an outer and inner metamorphosis within the colours, the scents and the textures as well.

Every year, every season, we witness these changes. The more we pay attention, the brighter the colours and experiences appear to our senses.

For many people, the change of seasons brings discomfort, particularly when the shift is to cooler temperatures, hazier conditions and unpredictability.

George Santayana said: “To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”

And yet, there is often a resistance to change in the literal and metaphorical sense.

In the world of leading change, we are interested in changing seasons. We are particularly interested in the changing seasons of leadership related to the perspective of inner and outer lens of leader.

With the speed of change in today’s world, the changing seasons brings an emergence of leaders from all parts of a system whether it’s a family system, a community or an organization.

The lens of ‘Who is a leader?’ is changing from one of an outer lens of appointed leader to one of an inner lens of leader self-selection and leader-by-influence, not just title.

The Lens of Leader is a shift in perspective, a shift in being conscious and intentional in how we show up as self-selected, influential leaders.

In communities and organizations, public, private and not-for-profit, there is a hierarchical structure composed of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities for day-to-day operations, management and leadership. The specifically appointed leaders are in roles at the executive, management and grassroots level. These are the leaders who take official front-line responsibilities for driving objectives, strategies and plans into action.

The outer lens refers to these leaders such as Chair, CEO, Executive Director, VP, Board of Directors, Manager, Team Leader, and so on. The inner lens of leader comes with a spectrum that gives self-selected change leaders greater fluidity, the capacity to consciously lead from the inside out. The inner lens is accessible to everyone, at any age, stage or station in life.

Kevin Cashman said: “As powerful as one authentic leader can be for an organization, a critical mass of leaders growing from the inside-out can greatly accelerate organizational progress.”

Through adapting the work of Coaches Training Institute Co-Active® Dimensional Leadership and CRR Global’s Relationship Systems Intelligence™, we bring focus to the multi-faceted inner workings of leader, the inner roles of leader:

1. Leader from In-front: Taking charge, leading a vision, guiding others through a direction that is clear as day to the leader voicing this vision and in doing so, shed light on a landscape of opportunities and challenges.

2. Leader from Behind: Taking a backseat to leading, giving others the spotlight while championing, encouraging those who have a stake on an issue, a voice to a purpose, perspective, belief or value.

3. Leader from Beside: Engaging in proactive collaboration, empowering change through designed alliances, shared intentions, strengths and resources.

4. Leader from the Systems-View: Giving objective voice to what is noticed as emerging and needed to be revealed for the organization, system, team.

Aptly said by John Quincy Adams: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

The inner lens of leader belongs to everyone, regardless of their outer role, their title. You may think of the lens of leader as focal points. We may shift our focus from one lens to another, as the situation shifts, allowing ourselves or others to self-select and influence a leader stance.

Each of the four lenses are accessible at any given moment to all who are interested in the spectrum that inner leadership brings on a personal, professional and systems-organizational level.

Which lens of leader do you show up in most naturally? Most often? Not often enough?

Inspiring Perspective

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” ~ Nelson Mandela