Take a look around your workplace, which group of workers has a vibrant energy, take risks, strive to be better, have enthusiasm for the job, work in a hive, laugh even when faced with adversity, are decisive, have a voice, and are present.”
These are usually the group of workers with a leader that is resilient, provides direction, is fearless, enjoys the company of their team, shares responsibility, is responsive, is decisive, holds them-self and their team accountable, shares of themselves willingly and is protective of their hive.
If this is not the image you see when you scan the workplace, it might be that Leadership Ambivalence is staring back at you, it cripples progress and stifles creative resourcefulness, and results in an ambivalent culture.
The most damaging characteristics of an ambivalent leader, is the unwillingness to admit vulnerabilities and the self preservation veil created, comprising of secretive, deceptive undertones that breed mistrust.
Fearless Leaders create environments where weakness, error and hesitation are not punished or frowned upon, but rather opportunities to strengthen team dynamic, loyalty and courage, but once recognised and addressed, repetition without growth or improvement is not accepted.
Fearless Leaders…
- Are clear with their team, define their roles and the relationship to the overall purpose and values of the business
- Manage accountability to protect against digression
- Negate uncertainty that comes with the changing work environment
- Be the voice for others, step up under adversity, and take risks
The “Leader” gene is a blueprint, it is inherent. We instantly recognize it when we see it, and when you see it in your workplace, value it, develop it, hold on to it, harness it, it is the future of your organisation.
We are not designed the same, not everyone has the capacity to be a Fearless Leader, just like not everyone can be a mathematician or a Nobel Prize winner in Literature, but everyone can learn and apply the fundamentals.