Photo by Fabian Gieske on Unsplash
On leaders and “big sticks.” Raise a big stick and its shadow falls on everyone.
Our Prime Minister is marketing an app to help track the spread of COVID-19. For just a moment, he declined to rule out making the app mandatory. He now confirms it will NOT be mandatory.
That moment laid bare an expectation that most will choose not to use the app and a big stick might be needed. However brief, people noticed. Its shadow fell on the vulnerable and those lacking trust in the leader’s motives.
For leaders proud of their history in using big sticks, it’s difficult to get people to listen when they most need to. The shadow of a big stick fires our limbic and reptilian brains for fight or flight. The whole brain is not engaged as it must for trust to emerge.
Leaders build trust when they value, and are *seen* to value:
1) honesty in everything
2) transparency with the whole truth
3) mindfulness of the whole problem and show it
4) collaboration without patriarchy
5) accountability in themselves, not others
6) respect that most people do their best most of the time.
Trust takes time to build. There’s little room for big sticks. Let’s respect everyone doing their best.
#ThisCentury #lean #agile #leadership #culture #systemsthinking #resilience #sustainability