Straight up, I’d like to question your leadership. How are you with your leadership? What would you give yourself on a scale of 1 to 10? 2? 3? 5? 10 meaning the most brilliant masterful leader, 0, a dastardly leader. What would you give yourself in that rating? Please be honest. Now, why did you give yourself that? If you gave yourself an 8 to 9, 10, 7, whatever number – why did you give yourself that? What are you doing well? Why do you give that to yourself? Honoring yourself with that. Even if it’s a number 2, it’s better than 0. You’re doing something right. It might be just doing the inquiry, and giving that 2 is the number you give yourself. Bravo! Good! Now, what would it take for you to get to a 10 in leadership? Honestly, truly, in your own estimation?
What skills would you need to develop? But most importantly, and usually, at this stage of development and being, it’s, what within your being can you let go of and release, so that your true Self, and the power of your own magnificence, your own flow, can come through, unimpeded by structures of past limitations in your consciousness.
Now, I’m going to ask you another piercing question: what’s your team feel about your leadership? We all have guesses and ideas, some of us may care, some of us may care not, may care little. We’re here to execute, they’re here to follow what we need to do, or ask them to do. But what does your team feel and think about your leadership? Have you really have gone through some type of process of self-analysis? Objective/subjective review? It’s always subjective. Perhaps you haven’t allowed yourself to have this type of review because you have no time for it. You might not see its value. You might be weary of the response or reflection you might get. You might be defensive or righteous about why you’re enacting and living and doing what you’re doing. Very few people don’t feel righteous about the way they do things in leadership positions.
Why am asking all of this? It’s because I’m reminded by a great teaching from The Book of Changes, the I Ching from China, from thousands of years ago. It’s an ancient book of principles, 64 of them, which I studied quite deeply in my journey as a Kung-Fu student. And one of the principles, shares about the superior being, the superior individual, man, woman being in the position of royalty. King, queen, being deluded by their own self-reflection because they’re in their ivory castle, not getting feedback from the whole. And they’ve created their own persona, about themselves to themselves. And yet, around them, there can be corruption happening, that could be revolt happening, dissidents, division, and they don’t see much, because they are trapped in the castle of their own self-reflection and mirrors. I feel as leaders, it’s so valuable that as we grow in power, and strength, and influence, and impact, and success, that we subject ourselves to honest reflection, from peers who will share the truth with you, about your leadership.
Vulnerably, honestly, having their heart for you, but at the same time, won’t pull any punches. I feel it’s such an essential part to have a peership of reflection, not just of sharings of wins, and insights, and knowledge, and learning, and experience, but being willing to look at you right in the eye, and say, “That’s integral and that isn’t.” And you’re walking down the path of self-destruction – that’s pretty harsh words. But I want friends and peers that are willing to look at me and share with me shadows that they might see in me, that I might be denying, I might be suppressing, I might be enacting, causing harm to others. It takes vulnerability to have that peership. It also is a type of sublime power to have that type of relationship with a circle that has your back, and also is willing to shed light on your darkness, and shadow, or ignorance.
I know I’ve certainly benefited from that all my life. My mentors have continuously pointed out many things, which, when I first heard, were like big vitamins that swallowed hard. Slaps, and pinches, and burns, but all came from good intent and love, and they’ve all helped me grow along the way my character, my being. It’s time not to arrive at anything as leaders. In this time, this intersection in history, I’m inviting you to have a real look at your leadership, and feel it, have it reflected back, not just through forms and through distanced connections, but have it be approached with other humans of your caliber, of your responsibility, of your power. And have them share what they see that’s good, valuable, noble, integral, full. And support you, and honor you, and edify you, and make right that, and make that even more solid, and just as valuable to share, my friend.
This is what you might be missing. This is something within yourself that you could strengthen. This is a way you’re going down the road that might cause you trouble. And also at times, to be even very firm, and know there’s more to this, more to you than this – you’re greater than this. Don’t allow your smallness to hold you back. And also, to bring you, and to serve you, and to support you as you’re moving on your journey of finding yourself, losing yourself, creating yourself, and all that’s around you.
The I Ching says, when you surround yourself with a circle of peership who are all for one and one for all, and you mean it, it’s not something on the wall, and you live it with these people, then, collectively, a power gets released. We grow in a very powerful way, in a sublime way. Subtle aspects of our consciousness grows. We get uplifted by nuanced reflection that we couldn’t pay millions and millions for. We grow as vulnerable warrior sages. And the power of our power, strengthens, and the soul of our essence, and our community and our goodness on the planet, and our effect becomes rippling for a long time to come.
The ultimate subjectivity is the ultimate thing to surrender to. And that’s the voice of others while maintaining the direction of our intent. Let’s continue boldly with openness and ferocity of truth going forward.
