Resurrection during COVID-19 – is it possible? I’m writing this on Easter Sunday morning and it feels like a good question. Sitting here and reflecting, I recognise that so much has changed in the world, and in so few months. I know and see, so many people asking themselves, ‘who am I today?’, ‘will I ever be the same?’, ‘will I ever see normal again?’.
However ... do we even know what’s normal?
Should we try to seek something that has already gone? Well I suppose it depends on what we are looking to get back. If it’s a sense of self, then most definitely.
If we are looking to return to the world that once was … it’s too late for that.
It has irrevocably changed and we are now all struggling to discover what the new normal is. I suspect that we will have a few cycles of ‘new normal’, before we enter a longer phase of normality. Something that we can be happy to accept and acknowledge.
This transition to ‘normality’, whatever that looks like, will need to happen before we feel comfortable in our own skin. Our sense of self, will need to shift, and those that don’t actively begin this shift voluntarily, in these surreal times, will struggle to emerge whole. They will take longer to mourn what has been lost and transition to what could be.
A Maverick Leader encourages a resurrection of real leadership of self.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines resurrection as ‘the act of bringing something that had disappeared or ended, back into use or existence’.
It would be wrong to seek a return to a world that prides its love for money over its love for people. Or a world where organisations care more for its shareholders than its employees. Or even to a world where its leaders are not trusted by those that seek leadership.
Resurrection during COVID-19
A Maverick Leader empowers others to become leaders. A desire that’s not often expressed by most people. For example ‘society’ has benefited for centuries from the control of others. It is often felt to be counter-productive to enable individuals to be able to self determine their future.
This belief has trickled down into organisations. Many leadership styles rely on the belief that the leader greatly controls which employees have the permission to be autonomous. If everyone on the team could be autonomous, doing what they believe is the right thing to do in any given situation, then the belief is that the leader has lost control. Anarchy will result and productivity will be lost.
And who wants that?
The Maverick Leader finds that idea completely preposterous! Developing, nurturing and empowering leaders is exactly what they believe their job is. The last thing a Maverick Leader wants is a team dependent on them, unable to make decisions without the tacit approval of the leader. They would prefer to have a team of mustangs, independently minded, undomesticated and known for their strong constitution and intelligent disposition.
Long term conformity is boring.
Maverick Leaders don’t abide with laissez-faire leadership, where the leader maintains a hands off attitude to what the team is doing. They have a carefully balanced leadership style that is consistent, and personalised. A style that empowers and nurtures leadership ability, in each and every individual in the team.
This ensures creativity, innovation and an improved ‘Swagger Mind’ [1].
A Swagger, is the Collective Noun for Socialised Mavericks [2]. A Swagger Mind is the ability to work collectively and independently for the greater good [3].
The Swagger will work together without ego, testing out new possibilities, pushing the limits and designing into their solutions a greater likelihood for success. A team that will give frank and honest feedback, will be mindful of the desires of the team, whilst being emotionally aware. Values driven and highly principled, they will push themselves to achieve.
They will be guided by their overriding need to work for the greater good.
A bit like Spock …
“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one” – Spock
This is often a guiding principle but not a firm rule for the Socialised Maverick.
Many Socialised Mavericks consider self sacrifice a valid option in the benefit of a good cause (one that is bigger than themselves). This, like many of the decisions that they make, would only be considered when all options have been weighed carefully. Socialised Mavericks become trusted leaders, due in part because of their inability to make rash decisions.
The ability to resurrect other people’s desire to master self leadership, will depend on whether you can leave your ego out of your leadership. If your choices are always flavoured with wanting to do the greater good, you are likely to be an objective, emotionally aware [4] leader that considers all stakeholders.
And that’s something deserving of resurrection during COVID-19.
Footnote
[1][3] Swagger Mind – Judith Germain 2020
[2] Swagger – Collective Noun for Socialised Mavericks – Judith Germain 2018
[4] Judith Germain, The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders, PublishNation 2017
