A641.2.3.RB - Am I a Resonant
Leader
Resonant leaders need to be highly
self-aware, manage themselves in stressful and complex environments, empathize
with others, and lead others to get the job done. Based on the workbook
exercise, post to your blog describing what surprises you discovered about
yourself when completing the exercise. Cite examples where you feel you fell
short.
I
would agree that many new leaders exude poor resonant leadership qualities because
for one they aren't practiced very often. Thinking back to elementary all the
way until high school, I can't really remember a single event where we
practiced how to be inspirational. Some individuals have natural speaking skills,
which are charismatic, inspirational, and motivational. If you'd ask a very
self conscious individual to get up in front of a group and deliver an
inspirational speech in order to motivate a group, they would probably pass
out, bump their head, and be taken to the hospital... So I'm totally on board
with the necessity to be self-aware, but I also think that inspiration, and
internal and external Emotional Intelligence (EI), need to be practiced. I
think a careful delve into evaluating and understanding Critical Thinking (CT)
is a great way to both understand EI, and be able to see how well you exude EI
externally after applying the filtered principles.
I
shared a story about the epitome of dissonance that I portrayed during a life
struggle in my late 20's, and how I snapped out of it in my DQ. So I do reflect
a lot in order to ensure I don't fall victim to those precursors again. I do
however think that we are in a relative strange place in time with our youth
because of the entitlement debacle that is ever present. I strongly believe
that we have developed softer skin in our current day and age because of the
sacrifices that the many have made in the past in order for the easier
lifestyle that we currently accustom to. I'm not saying that there aren't a
many out there who don't struggle on a daily basis, but as a collective,
Americans have it far better currently than ever before, and leaps and bounds
better that hundreds of emerging societies.
My
point of all this is that we are far too relaxed with developing our youth at a
young age, and don't allow them to experience and battle through minor struggles.
If they don't experience both positively and negatively, then how can they possess
the cognitive function to reflect and be self-aware later in life? By holding
their hands along the way we are sheltering them from the necessary experiences
that will help shape their resilience later in life.
For
me personally I rose to leadership position very quickly because I worked very
hard to excel. What I didn't posses were the abilities to successfully engage
those who worked at a much different rate. I didn't have enough experiences in
life to understand different cultures, diversities, and how and what made
different people tick. I think the fact that Dan Sontag experiences so many diversities
and struggles throughout his youth, he was far better equipped in the EI realm
for which serves greatness in leadership positions. The fact that he was living
experience, and feeling the emotions that drive and compel us on a daily bases,
equipped him with the necessary tools to be resilient within, and exert the
already practiced EI traits for which were almost natural. So basically I'm
saying that if you don't experience enough, or practice delivery overtly,
you'll probably default to what seems to be "safe" leadership, which
is dissonance. Instead of this being a blog, I think it would be better served
as a DQ, so people can share and debate different experiences. I think it would
foster some Critical Thinking, and serve well to our discovery of EI. Just my
thoughts...
Boyatzis, R. E., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant
leadership: Renewing yourself and connecting with others through mindfulness,
hope, and compassion. Harvard Business Press.
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