HLWG: Leadership is Local

Intermission? The Pause that Refreshes? The Seventh Inning Stretch? The Hill Leadership Working Group took a break from reading new material in March, and devoted our discussion to distilling learning from the readings we have tackled so far:

 

Our discussion was just as divergent, but through it, we did settle on some lessons, or at least important ideas, that emerged through the course of the past six months together:

•         Prepare, and then prepare some more.

•         Know thyself.

•         Learn from where you have been.

•         Know where you are going.

•         Be fair, be clear, be strong.

•         Care for those around you, and don’t keep it a secret.

•         Understand the difference between compliance and cooperation.

•         Great leaders develop great leaders.

Each of these themes emerged from multiple authors, and resonated with multiple participants.

 

Another observation emerged from the discussion, as well. I tended to steer the discussion toward enterprise- or organizational leadership. I wanted to talk about lessons for senior executives. The group, by contrast, kept bringing the discussion back to very personal examples, especially parenting our children. As I reflected on that, I proposed the following explanation: most meaningful leadership is intensely personal, even intimate. It is person-to-person, based on trust and familiarity, respect and deep concern. What better example than a parent and a child? Organizational leadership, at its best, create environments where meaningful leadership relationships can flourish.

 

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, April 16. The book will be True North, by Bill George.

 

Hope to see you then! Feel free to contact me with any questions.