If we're afraid to stand in our own skin with those we work with, then how do we lead those who have no voice at all?
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity and courage in leadership, suggesting that we must be true to ourselves before we can effectively lead others.
Ertharin Cousin's quote highlights the crucial role of self-acceptance and transparency in leadership. It suggests that if leaders are unable to embrace their own identities and vulnerabilities, they cannot authentically support and advocate for those who may feel marginalized or voiceless. Effective leadership requires a genuine connection with oneself and others, creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to speak up.
In practice
In a team meeting to encourage openness and authenticity among team members.
The majority of small-holder farmers in Africa are women and, in urban areas, you're primarily looking at women-led households. So we can't solve hunger if we don't have gender-sensitive programming that addresses access to opportunities for women, whether it's through education or tools for cooking, like solar-powered stoves.
There is a new model of leadership in the world that rides on the premise that every single person in the organisation can be a leader. Titles are important for structure and order, but real power does not come from titles.
A leader can give up anything - except final responsibility.
Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work.
We must not let ourselves be seen as rushing around the world looking for arguments... Nor should we let ourselves be seen as ignoring allies, disillusioning friends, thinking only of ourselves in the most narrow terms. That is not how we survived the 20th century. Nor will it serve in the 21st.
A big part of the job of being a showrunner is, in my way of thinking, being a good communicator because there's really no other way to have hope for getting what you want, at the end of the day.
Great leaders state out loud what they intend to do and in doing so, they get things done.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.