Perhaps you have seen this photo by photographer Eric J. Smith. It went somewhat viral a few weeks ago, capturing an ill-fated moment for a group of whale-watchers. Banded together around a common mission – in this case, to catch a glimpse of a whale – they are so intent looking for what they hope to find that they miss the amazing reality that has surfaced right in front of them.
Organizationally, this can happen too, especially in the context of leader development. One of the traps of talent acquisition and optimization is the leadership job description. I hate job descriptions for managers, directors, and C-suite leaders. I guess there is a need for them and can understand how they would be helpful in some regards. However, you are not hiring a robot, you are hiring a person. While that person can hopefully perform the necessary tasks required of that position, intentional development can bring to the surface dimensions of leadership intangibles that are only revealed through intentionality of growth as a leader.
- Leaders who are engaged and productive are usually leaders who are working in alignment with their core personal identity and missional purpose.
- Leaders who are engaged and productive are usually leaders on a journey of ever-deepening emotional health.
- Leaders who are engaged and productive are usually leaders who capitalize on their core competencies, continually expanding their expertise in those areas.
Most companies do not make space for or invest in the kinds of intentional development required for leaders to grow and thrive. Don’t get me wrong, companies definitely invest in conferences, books, subscription services, networking groups/events, club memberships, generous PTO, etc. Not that any of those are bad, but they are not geared for the kinds of development that managers, directors, and C-suite leaders require. Those kinds of leadership spaces can be brutal and require strong clarity of personal identity and mission, deeper journeys into emotional health, and clarified focus on growth areas of core competencies. When companies don’t invest in these ways, oftentimes those companies miss the treasures that surface right in front of them through their leaders. So focused on performance outcomes and driven by the tyranny of the urgent, they miss the full power and scope of the leaders they trust to lead their business.
Awareness, intentionality, and investment is required to navigate leader dynamics such as these…more on that next month.
