Leadership has been a source of enquiry and writing since 2,500 BC. Lao Tzu was defining the “personal essence of good leadership” around 500BC therefore it’s somewhat ambitious, if not downright presumptuous to think we might uncover the ultimate truth here.
But we can all share in the grist that is offered and learn through the process of “communal milling” in search of the essence of what is ultimately the very personal journey of leadership learning in increasingly uncertain times...both at work and beyond!
The leadership debate rages on but one thing seems to be generally accepted, central to leadership is the essence or character of the individual.
The True North approach does develop skills but we go further. We focus on enabling leaders to uncover their vocation or sense of mission and support them in their ongoing journey of learning transition, change and evolution, at work and beyond.
As social animals we have lived in communities and traded goods and services with each other since the beginning of our species. In this highly complex, inter-dependent world it seems entirely rational that we should be at the top of our learning game to be as effective in doing this as possible.
We contend therefore that Leadership has at its core the intentional act of enabling others learning in the effective pursuit of a shared endeavour.
Organisational development has at its core the intentional process of enabling groups, team’s organisations and communities to be effective in fostering learning, creating shared capability and going beyond.
Contributing to and leading collective human endeavour is a skills set that can be learnt.
Learning is also a process. Our individual antecedent’s serve us well in helping us learn and make sense of our experience in ways that enable us to function. Equally they get in the way. We often hang on to the past even though in times of rapid change, what was once acknowledged wisdom becomes a ball and chain to progress and adaptation.
We contend that transition is a component of change. In enabling learning, leaders need to understand the factors involved in personal and organisational transition and be skilful in working with them.
In leading transition, leaders need to be aware of and constructively work with their own and others immunity to change
Awareness is simply a process of fully experiencing our experience and not becoming buried in day-to-day activity. Although what seems so simple is far from it as the sages form all traditions testify.
…and so we go beyond
At True North we hold the wisdom of the sages such as Lao Tzu sincerely but lightly and work with the essence of leadership being the character of the individual. Therefore we have to go beyond work.
We contend that significant learning goes beyond the accumulation of facts and skills. As we as we experience the world today, facts and skills are vitally important but are an increasingly transitory commodity.
The core conditions for significant learning include awareness through reflection and self-discovery with a thirst for collaborative enquiry.
We are all in transition, at home, at work and with ourselves. Often our biggest challenges but most profound significant learning happens through the process of transition.
We contend that fully experiencing experience is the key to unlocking our personal potential and the potential of collective human endeavour.
How we feel and what motivates us and those with whom we work is every bit as important in our personal leadership learning journey as our rational, problem solving and strategic brains
All significant learning involves a degree of letting go of ego and supported, managed risk taking.
The mission of True North is to contribute as fully as possible to ensuring our clients have the necessary personal capacity and resilience to accept the learning with which life presents us...at work and beyond.
Brian Woodall, True North Partnership, September 2017