Leaders report that too much change feels overwhelming. That change can be challenging. Change is like a voyage of discovery; a journey into the unknown. It’s vital as a leader that you are ready to learn. Plus, comfortable with how you learn; and ready to stay alert/present in the learning process…

‘Here be dragons’ - the map-maker’s nod to the Unknown

For centuries, map makers helped kings and queens and explorers make sense of their territories and their strategies, by mapping the known world. They gathered information, for their drawing of new maps and charts, from the sketches and diaries collected on dangerous voyages to far off places.

Large areas of land and ocean were unexplored. (Or explored by sailors who had not returned…) When the map-makers reached the edges of what was known, they drew fierce, or mythical creatures across the unknown territories, declaring ‘here be lions’ or ‘here be dragons’.

Where are the dragons now?

With access to the internet; and data captures from many sources – where are the dragons now? You will find them inside your leader’s brain – in those unknown, unmapped arenas when you reach the edges of your own understanding; or of your own comfort. Outside your comfort zone, your brain is wired to detect danger, and when you sense danger, your brain detects fierce, and inexplicable creatures or challenges. The unknown can be scary. And it might be easiest to avoid it!

Your fast-changing world

Your world is changing fast. We have new technologies; new ways of using resources; fast-changing climate; and society - providing you with an unfolding, chaotic matrix - full of the levers of change. As a leader, you are working with emerging information and changing circumstances every day. How do you navigate the new territories? How do you keep on learning and growing, so that you can stay focussed? Be present? And lead?  

Staying focussed; being present and leading

Whatever circumstances are developing in your context, you are facing new challenges, sometimes daily. Both your BAU (Business As Usual) and your ability to innovate in response to change are in play. The knowledge and expertise which got you here may not be the knowledge or expertise which will equip you for the new challenge. You’re preparing (always) to shape your team and your strategy. There are things you don’t know. Do your team members have more knowledge than you? Concerning history, market segment, and other leaders, for example? Your presence, including your ability to show up consistently; listen deeply and speak clearly, will build and sustain a culture of learning and innovation for your team and your stakeholders. 

What’s your approach?

You are a leader with a track record. Did you leverage your expertise to get this far? Or perhaps you became influential because you are brilliant at keeping everyone ‘sweet’/by being consistently nice? The collateral of these valuable knowledge bases, experiences or reputations may be lost when facing the unknown? It’s almost as if you are starting over.

What might you need to learn? Who might you need to be? How might you step forward?

It’s not about what, it’s about how. How do you learn? How do you create a learning environment for yourself and your people? It is going to require some stretch, some curiosity and some courage. And maybe a bit of heat?

Try This:

Start by reflecting on your own experiences. Take a few moments. Remember the times when you grew most as a leader. 

Consider when:

• you took on a new role or

• joined a new organisation or

• completed a significant project or

• responded to a crisis

Each of these examples demands stretching beyond your comfort zone to discover new ways. These growth opportunities can be called ‘heat experiences’ - experiences in which you face a new and complex challenge, which disrupts your habitual ways of thinking.

These sorts of experience interrupt your usual ways of making sense of the context, causing you to look for better ways of understanding the circumstances and the systems operating around you. There are levels of discomfort and stress in this heat and stretch. There’s a need to listen - more closely than usual; and to diverse or challenging viewpoints (sometimes called colliding perspectives). This heat or stretch or challenge is essential for effective navigation across the new territory and the novel context. It is what allows you to make different decisions and action different responses. Curiosity will help you. And courage.

Your leadership journey so far has provided you with occasional ‘stretch opportunities’- or heat experiences. As you reflect, you will recognise your own learning as a key piece in each of those experiences.pportunities can be called ‘heat experiences’ - experiences in which you face a new and complex challenges, which disrupts your habitual ways of thinking. Such experiences can interrupt your usual ways of making sense of the context, causing you to look for better ways of understanding the systems operating around you. There are levels of discomfort and stress in this heat and stretch. There’s a need to listen, more closely than usual, to diverse or new viewpoints (sometimes called colliding perspectives). It’s essential for effective navigation across the territory and the context. It sets you up well for different responses and decisions. 

Your leadership journey so far has provided you with occasional ‘stretch opportunities’- or heat experiences. As you reflect, you will recognise your own learning as a key piece in each of those experiences.

How can you learn differently?

Start by acknowledging that you do not know the territory or the possible answers. This is called ‘recognising the opportunities of the unknown’.

Charting a new course (and mapping new territory) requires a departure from ‘safe harbour’, from your usual way of tackling things. Identifying the opening may allow you to reframe it as a stretch or heat experience. These experiences or challenges allow you to intentionally grow your self-awareness and your awareness of others - and to extend your sense-making frames, or ways of seeing the world. From there you can incorporate that extended sense making into an expanded worldview.

Growing as you change

As the world grows bigger for you, you become different. And, you will discover, that when you are being different, the world around you changes.

When your way of looking at things is different others may notice that you are thinking differently; feeling differently; or experiencing your team; your peers and your stakeholders differently. Stretch or heat experiences will include opportunities to develop skills and grow your knowledge too. It’s an interesting paradox.

"Perception is reality"; when you can see it differently you can begin to act on it differently.

Aspects of your heat experience

You/Will you leverage your well-known talents and strengths; practise a new skill; or expand by building a new strength?

The opportunities/Three ways to get started in discovering or designing your own heat experiences:

1. Contribute to a project: 

Scan your wider work environment for projects or new initiatives, which you can contribute to. Make sure you identify what your specific challenges will be.

2. Expand your current role:

Could you take on a different level of responsibility for something inside your team’s agreed workload? Swap roles, tasks or outcomes (for an agreed period) with a peer or colleague? Assume responsibility for unclaimed tasks or roles? (Are there any tasks with inadequate leadership? Falling between the leadership gaps perhaps?)

3. Take on a challenge outside work:

Consider your community interests. Think not-for profits; social and professional organisations; schools, sports-teams, or family groups.

As you scan for opportunities, consider what your own 'learning edges' as a leader might be. You are invited to use the free Leaders with Presence self assessment to help you find these.

What motivates you to stretch and grow?

It’s fascinating to discover what is challenging and motivating leaders (LeaderswithPresence Project (LwP). Leaders are consistently reporting: prioritising for success; navigating chaos; delivering better results; growing people; growing team (s) as their top priorities. All of these require leaders to keep learning and growing as a leader!

Horizontal and vertical learning

On the horizontal plane leaders master competencies, gain knowledge and build skills. This is like stocking a shelf in your personal library.

On the vertical axis you grow your ‘mindset’, which is anchored in your self-awareness; you grow your emotional intelligence, your empathy and your presence. This is more like leaving the library, armed with all of your horizontal knowledge and skills, and pitting yourself against new challenges which you know will require new ways of thinking, feeling and being from you. This is your leadership ‘hero’s journey.

Incorporating everything you are learning – about the world around you; about yourself; about others - enables you to respond in new ways to your ever-changing world.

Back on that horizontal plane you might rely on your natural abilities; or on your tried and tested, old ‘playbook’ of standard responses. This approach keeps you, and your team, on a narrow, outdated track.

Outside of that narrow perspective your leadership learning journey (hero’s journey) is ongoing, and lifelong.

What's your challenge as a leader?

What is the territory adjacent to your well known ‘stamping ground’ which you are unable or unwilling to explore? What/who are your personal dragons? Perhaps you are a technical expert who is being called upon to lead a team feeling overwhelmed by ongoing changes through the Covid19 Pandemic? Try contrasting a leader who has one narrow perspective with a leader who can flex between perspectives - zooming in and out for ‘blue sky’ or ‘dot by dot’ viewpoints. Who is likely to be the better decision-maker amongst these leaders? How will you identify, listen to and include colliding perspectives? How expand your horizons and your ability to make sense of your fast-changing world? Watch this space for fresh thinking on these topics; and on how you measure and monitor your success…

Colliding perspectives + expanded sense-making… 

What is your method for evaluating your performance?? - read our next blog …

Get a sense of how this is influencing your Leadership Edge - take our free leaders with presence self-assessment

To support take your learning to a deeper level we can offer you the assistance from an ICF qualified coach – to both debrief your results and take to a deeper level. Please email us at leaderswithpresence@gmail.com and we can explore options with you.