The modern leadership movement encourages “leaders” to develop an unconquerable faith in their transforming vision, and the heroic courage necessary to prevail in bringing that vision to life. These singular figures are advised to look within themselves and explore their innermost secrets and values, so that they can achieve a profound understanding of and mastery over them. Emerging Buddha-like from these deep contemplations, they are then to inscrutably exercise this force for good over all who come within their ambit.
Make no mistake about it, there are prominent authorities on “leadership” who advise much like this, in terms very like these. Moreover, there are grown men and women of apparent substance who buy into it. You’ve undoubtedly met some of these. But consider this (which I first heard attributed to Vaclav Havel):
Associate yourself with those who are seeking the truth. Avoid those who have found it.”
This applies in many areas of our lives – perhaps all of them – and you should be sure that it applies in management, as well. You want to avoid not only those who are convinced that they have found the truth, but also protect yourself from becoming one of them. As soon as you suspect you are falling into that narrow trap, get out of your office, break out of your self-exploratory trance, and get out in to the real world. Look around. Ask your employees, your vendors, your customers, your peers what they think.
That is, look for the truth in others, not in yourself – you really are unlikely to find it there. And surround yourself with others who do the same.
What’s more, model yourself after seniors who not only seek the truth, but struggle mightily to avoid the conclusion that they have found it, or embody it, themselves. You may have met some of these, as well – unfortunately, there aren’t many of them, but they are out there. When you find them, you should be sure to not lose track of them. That’s a truth you can safely rely on.
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