I’m teaching a course in International Organizational Behavior in London this summer to some of our students from UNR. It is supposed to be our standard OB course with an international flare, so I had to use a different text book entitled “International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior” by Nancy Adler.
I taught the chapter on leading globally the other day and was struck by this passage at the beginning of the text:
To act comes from the Latin verb agere meaning “to set into motion”. The Anglo-Saxon origins of the verb to lead come from laedre, meaning “people on a journey.” Today’s meaning of the word leader, therefore, denotes someone who sets ideas, people, organizations, and societies in motion; someone who takes the worlds of ideas, people, commerce, organizations, and societies on a journey. To lead such a journey requires vision, courage, and influence.
My first reaction when I read this was “Oh, that is SO cool!” But the more I thought about it – and being the nerd that I am I thought a LOT about it – the more it just did not sit well with me.
I love the idea of leadership being about people set in motion on a journey. The problem is I can’t recall a single time in my entire life when I felt like someone was leading me on a journey, or where I felt like I was leading others on a journey. As inspiring as this word picture is, it simply does not accurately represent my own experience.
I do, however, consider myself on a journey through life. And I do consider myself entirely personally responsible for every aspect of my journey. I am also very aware of how there are times when my own journey influences the individual journeys that others are on. Every choice I make has the opportunity to ripple through the lives of others; consequently, I can’t pretend that my individual journey is entirely about or for me.
So I want to suggest a related but somewhat different meaning for the word leader:
A leader is someone that assumes full responsibility for their personal journey through life and aspires to make that journey as meaningful and significant as possible. Leaders appreciate that every seemingly insignificant choice made in pursuit of their journey will affect the people, organizations, and societies they need to fulfill their journey and they purpose to interact with others in ways that leave them better prepared to fulfill their own journeys.
This works better for me. I know that I have been affected by people in my life, some in small ways, and others in very significant ways; likewise, I know that I have affected numerous people in similar ways. Either way, those periods of interdependent influence were relatively short in duration, and I remained in control of my life and my choices before, during, and after the influence.
Leadership, thus, is not so much about your title, position, role, and taking others on a journey but more about your posture and purpose. Do we need someone to recognize us as leaders to practice the essence of leadership? I think not.
Leadership is more about what you do to and for yourself than it is about what you do to and for others because the choices you make about setting yourself in motion affect not only yourself, but others as well, and that is an enormous responsibility.
Your journey is important. For the sake of others you will touch along the way, do your best to make the most of it.
What do you think?
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Thanks for such a thought provoking post. I can recall me OB class, and find this definition most relevant to the reality.
We are very quick in defining something, so much so that we forget the real sense of purpose of the definition. The root, that you stated is the basis of the term leadership, explaining the responsibility of the position-Leadership.
Thanks again.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Glad you found it helpful, Anshul. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Bret
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Bret – I like the notion of being on a journey, being our own leaders and in charge of our personal destinies, with the impact that process has on others as we go along! Just great!
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Thanks for the feedback, Dorothy! I never really thought of leadership this way until a week ago, but I’m chewing on it now and like it a lot. Bret
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Congratulations! This post was selected as one of the five best independent business blog posts of the week in my Three Star Leadership Midweek Review of the Business Blogs.
http://blog.threestarleadership.com/2010/07/07/7710-midweek-look-at-the-independent-business-blogs.aspx
Wally Bock
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 12:37 am
Thanks, Wally! Always a huge honor to make any list you publish. Bret
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Your post is so thought-provoking…i love the point you made on how leadership is what we do to and for ourselves. great job, Bret!
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Welcome, Ashley! I actually have never thought of it that way myself until I wrote it, but it is how I feel and it sounds right based on my experience. Thanks! Bret
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To the point and an inspiring post. I agree that each person should be accountable for their own actions regardless the influence of others. Especially those in positions of influence and power. Where is the courage in an unexamined life.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
August 1st, 2010 at 10:58 am
Welcome, Dawn! I think we are often unaware how dependent we allow ourselves to be. Love your point about an unexamined life. Thanks! Bret
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Bret:
Thanks for this piece.In every team -as it was in the last Worl Cup- every player should know the he/she is a leader on his/her own right and capable of influencing the entire team result. Unless that happens(every player being a leader in the positions given) the team cannot succeed; the journey of getting the cup would abort. Thus even in teams, every person must first assume his/her informal leadership. I quite agree with you. Thanks.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
August 1st, 2010 at 10:59 am
Welcome, Tom! Very much agree with your point that we all have the capacity to influence, and it’s our responsibility to develop that capacity and to use it wisely. Thanks! Bret
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Hi Bret – your cognitive breakthrough is, in fact, primal. That’s not a criticism; it’s a rejoicing. Look at the structure of myth, the hero’s journey, read Joseph Campbell. It’s all there. I believe that the wisdom of the ancients is relevant to our situations today. I’m delighted you’ve fed my confirmation bias!
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
August 2nd, 2010 at 7:44 am
Welcome, Richard! Very happy to help such a positive confirmation bias. You are not the first to suggest my cognitive structure is primal
Thanks! Bret
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I think there is that rare charismatic leader that takes others on a journey. But for the rest of us, there’s just our own journey. Since it may be the only one we get, it would be a shame to waste it. And everyone else is on an equally real and precious journey we should be conscious of how our actions impact them.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
August 2nd, 2010 at 7:47 am
It is a shame for someone to waste their journey, because the rest of us need it. Great thoughts – thanks for sharing! Bret
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To your thought that “A leader is someone that assumes full responsibility for their personal journey through life and aspires to make that journey as meaningful and significant as possible” I say amen. during mentor-coaching I like to say “I’m not important unless I’m important to you” (my journey) so tell me how I can be important to you?” Let’s make our journeys stand out so others will want to model their own journey.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
June 21st, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Great saying about not being important unless you are important to someone else. Thanks for sharing, Mike! Bret
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