For anyone to open their heart, they need the right atmosphere, and something to prompt them. Jung Chang
For me, a landscape does not exist in it’s own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life – the light and air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere with gives subjects their true value. Claude Monet
Leadership is mastering atmosphere – which is a continually changing and mystifying invisible force. It’s the way we perceive emotion and what’s going on in a room, how we play out social awkwardity.. it’s how we relax or fnd ourselves tense. Being a leader is about understanding what atmosphere is, how to create it, manage it and shape for the best possible outcome. This is not manipulation – simply recognising that all human beings have a ‘frequency’ that we sound best at.
Just like music being a balance of all it’s components – both sound, tone, rhythm, language and silence, harmony and dissonance.. so to is BALANCE the key to atmosphere.
Like a exceptional meal, atmosphere is not about creating and maintaining one stable, calm environment – as we so often tend to think of balance. That kind of balance leads to blandness, boredom and beige… in fact, mastering atmosphere is about procuring balance by bringing all the edges and fringe experiences to play. That is – to create a masterpiece of flavours… just like a truly enjoyable meal, the sweet, spicy, salt, creamy, crunchy, smooth, rich, light, acidic flavours must all be combined and played off one another to create something exceptional that opens the palate and senses.. the full range of taste, aroma, texture and enjoyment..
in the places we lead … this translates to understanding the necessity of peaks and troughs.. we desperately need to pull the flavours that reside at the edges to the centre, in order to create balance from the extremes. What are these extremes? Joy, quietness, excitement, grief, tragedy, seriousness, delight, conflict, romance, passion, fear, adventure, noise, colour, structure, flexibility.
You don’t create atmosphere, or manage it by simply pursuing what feels like a comfortable fit. Understand that your job as a leader is to engage in this changing environment and make a masterpiece of it – that opens the souls and hearts of those you are leading – to greater and greater experience and understanding.
Some of the simplest quotes on leadership reveal the biggest truths.
We look to a leader to give us hope; hope that they will lead us through our difficulties and into a better future.
The best leaders do not hide reality from their followers but they are able to show them that despite the difficulties there is a way through.
Moses at the Red Sea, when the Israelites had nowhere to go – what did he give them but hope?
Why is hope so crucial? Because hope inspires us to the horizon, but hope isn’t something far off. To be a dealer in hope is to be a dealer in the here and now. Hope is in the footsteps, whether you’re taking the stairs one, two or three at a time. Hope is the thing that carries you on the journey and great leaders will incapacitate fear in their people by willing to walk through and on to the horizon.
Being a leader in hope isn’t about relentless enthusiasm or boundless optimism. A leader who applies hope to every situation brings perspective:
1. the reality of what is 2. the surety of a different possible future and what can be 3. the willingness to find the pathway there 4. the lessons and wisdom from the past.
hey, in celebration of Marko’s birthday… this meme from his blog. I expect all you lurkers and fellow bloggers to tag in, no excuses, ‘kay?
Here’s the rules.
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc) 2. Put it on shuffle 3. Press play 4. For every question, type the song that’s playing 5. When you go to a new question, press the next button 6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool!
Opening Credits: Brighter Days – Leeland
Waking Up: Different Names For The Same Thing – Death Cab For Cutie
First Day At School: Ruby – Brigitte De Meyer
Falling In Love: Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone) – Johnny Cash (no kidding!!!)
Not only is this little film iconic in it’s depiction of the pain and struggle of the creative process … but I also think it depicts the true trajectory of what leadership in the 3rd church looks like. Mainly this is inspired from time spent with someone I consider to be the most progressive, insightful & biblical church leader I’ve ever known. Look for more on that story later on … but for now… enjoy!
Welcome to Soul Pancake. Worth signing up for and definitely having a look around. I haven’t watched all the Oprah interview yet, but I think it’s ingenious, very 3.0 and entertaining if nothing else. Way to enter the spiritual discussion, outside the realms of academia. Of course, the cynic in me wonders how long before it gets swallowed up and overrun by the pious and well-meaning.
I’m convinced of it. Everyone is trying to shoot above their game, to learn as they go on the sly from the ones they have convinced they know what they are doing.
No one really knows what they’re doing – surely the economic crisis is a sign. Cos even those that don’t know anything about money, knew trouble was coming and we ended up there anyway. Will we say the same about the way out? Who knows.
But I know this. It’s okay to fake it. You just gotta know at what point to cut your losses and realise you’re not gonna make it. You just gotta know at what point to just be honest and find someone who isn’t faking it, who can point you in the right direction.
Everybody trades on confidence. Which means that where there is wind, bluster and blow… somebody’s faking it.
What does all this mean? Heck, I don’t know. Just relax, stop taking yourself and everyone else so seriously for a five minute mental health break.
Realise everyone is faking it somewhere along the line. Figure out what you need to keep faking til you get your head around and what you can open the curtains on now. Easy. Nothing to stress about cos everyone’s doing it.
So why don’t you go ahead and stand out from the crowd, whatever that means you have to do?
Tash McGill is a broadcaster, writer and strategist who works with people and organisations to solve problems and create transformation. She believes people are the most important thing and that stories are powerful ways of changing the world. You can find out more at tashmcgill.com or by visiting her LinkedIn profile.
