“We all wear masks, and that while masks have uses, taking them off can allow for deeper connection, shared growth, and more fruitful collaboration.”
― Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
The irony of this quote. The truth in these words. The opportunities, masked as challenges.
March 2020 threw the "world of work" a curveball.
Physical spaces we'd used without much thought, ceased to exist, it seemed like, forever.
"Symptoms" such as this quickly had become our new reality. And eventually, these surrounded us, leaving us to wonder, "What's next?"
Seen another way, we were surrounded by leadership opportunities.
Opportunities to gather, in new and different ways, we had not yet considered.
Who embraced these leadership opportunities?
The collaborators and community-builders, that's who decided to embrace these challenges.
We would gather. It would just look and feel different. And hopefully, it'd be temporary.
Within the school leadership space, community-based mastermind groups rose up. Those established by William D. Parker, and leadership organizations including AMLE and NASSP established spaces and offered timely resources and ongoing support, with eyes toward safely reopening schools nationwide. For those of us already part of one or more community that supports our growth and success, these supplemental communities were welcomed.
The only added perspective and a sense of shared experience.
In this week's episode of the No Turning Back podcast, hosts General Stanley McChrystal and Chris Fussell spoke with Jeff Sonnenfeld about "Bringing Leaders Together".
They spoke of the importance of gathering, and how Professor Sonnenfeld convenes leaders. The communities he fosters serve and empower others, elevating the essence of leadership. The solutions often come, not from an individual who holds a position of power, but from many. The result of shared experiences and a collective effort yield outcomes.
Those who elect to join and participate do so because of the:
likeability of the leader
space in which the community exists
culture of individual contributions leading to meaningful shared work
other like-minded people who want to be there to serve the good of the group
"You've got to create unexpected communities. You've got to empower unlikely people who bring specific capabilities or passion or talent to something. And these things have got to be organic."
- General Stanley McChrystal, No Turning Back
The ideas in this episode left me reflecting on my "leadership opportunities" past, present, and future. And I'm reflecting being mindful of who we bring to the table, and what's possible with intentional circumstances set and collective energy, towards solutions.
Undoubtedly, there are times that call for "wearing a mask".
Removing it (even if temporarily and when it's safe to do so), can have it's benefits.
When both the cause and the effect of gathering is collaboration, empowerment, and a sense of community, it's worth pulling down the mask, to seize the leadership opportunity.
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