We know the right thing
to do, but it is hard. Often, we think
of leadership in very black and white terms:
the best leaders are always strong, always right, always in the
lead. Consequently, giving power to
someone else, admitting errors and letting others shine can feel like weakness.
Mastering your sense of
self is crucial to successful leadership.
You have to be comfortable enough with yourself to know that admitting
error, giving praise and sharing do not diminish your standing. On the contrary, these qualities enhance your
standing. Only someone well-rounded and
comfortable in their own skin can do these things.
It reminds me of a yoga
pose my wife described. I looked it up
(see photo). The pose is called Humble
Warrior. The strong warrior is placed in
a submissive position of leaning forward and bowing almost to the ground. But on closer inspection, you can see that
entire body is strong. The pose uses the
entire body: strong, lunged legs; hands
clasped behind; arms straight, thrust overhead; body cantilevered over; shoulder
next to--but not touching--the knee; head hovering over the ground. There is power in the humble pose.
We need to tap into our
internal strength to do that which may seem weak, but which actually makes us
strong.
What is your Humble
Warrior moment?
