Evolution of Leadership
Date: 27 January 2020 | Author: Edina de Jong – Hodzic
The role of a Leader is probably one of the most challenging and rewarding roles that one can take in one’s lifetime. I call Leadership a ‘role’ because that is essentially what it is. We often confuse the roles we take in life with who we truly are, in essence we all exist at a much deeper level than the ways in which we express ourselves through the roles we take that makeup our personality. At some point in life we’re drawn to the role of Leader for reasons that we might be aware of or unaware of. Maybe it was expected by family to take this role as it would be a continuation of the family lineage or taking this role would mean financial security, success, power etc. Maybe we feel drawn to it because we want to help others to grow. Why have YOU chosen to take the role of a Leader?
I believe it’s key for Leaders to understand their reasons for accepting the role of a Leader. Why? Because this role unlike many others that we fulfil in the society carries with it a great responsibility, the responsibility of leading others. It means that the actions, motives and behavioural patterns that a Leader has, influences others and in some cases a whole community. Therefore it’s important that a Leader understands and accepts the responsibility behind the role. The thoughts, feelings, actions and results of the Leader is impacting others beyond the awareness of the Leader.
Today I observe that the role of Leader is ‘given’ to and sought after by many without a real deep understanding of the responsibility that it brings. Too often I listen to stories of burn-out, excessive stress, fear, long-term survival ‘mentality’ amongst employees and it makes me wonder if we have forgotten what true Leadership is about?
With what I observe in the outside world (global politics, technology, rise in collective consciousness) I can only conclude that we’re entering a phase in history where the quality of Leadership will determine the direction for humanity. Allowing a new set of qualities (archetypes) to be expressed through the Leaders of today & tomorrow is what I refer to as Evolution of Leadership. Those qualities are expressions of both the feminine and masculine energy and are both required for a healthy expression of Leadership. Another element that is required for a healthy expression of Leadership is that of understanding how at individual level Leadership is expressed. Each form of expression (archetype) has a positive and negative (shadow) side. A Leader should understand that the shadow has power because it remains in the dark, we tend to deny its presence in us because we consider it unacceptable. Only when we face and acknowledge the shadow’s presence can we neutralize its potential negative impact on us and the people around us.
As an example, the dominant Leadership archetype of ‘Ruler’ can help you assert your power, take charge of situations and act with kindness and compassion. But the shadow Ruler may run around barking our orders, making impossible demands, feeling ‘entitled’, resisting criticism and questioning of authority. Once a Leader learns to recognize the difference between the two responses and their common source Ruler’s constructive power can be harnessed while mitigating the shadow.
Next to the dominant Ruler archetype a modern day Leader can express her/his Leadership in the form of other archetypes like ‘Networker’, ‘Visionary’, ‘Caretaker’, ‘Diplomat’, ‘Storyteller’, ‘Guide’, ‘Lover’, ‘Architect’, ‘Child’ etc. The more diversity in the archetypes of the Leader, the more authentic the Leadership expression will be.
Throughout history we have seen great leaders and not so great leaders impacting humanity. The difference in quality of Leadership and the impact they had on the collective was always expressed through the mental, emotional and spiritual (holistic) maturity of the Leader. A mature Leader is one that understands the holistic nature of her/his being, uses the power of it to transform Self in order to thrive and to guide and empower others on the path of growth.
A Leader that hasn’t been on a journey of deep self discovery, self growth and hasn’t integrated one’s holistic nature, acts from a limited field of perception driven by immature programming, limiting beliefs, emotional wounding, external circumstances, dry intellect and disconnection from intuition, heart and deeper wisdom.
How are YOU expressing your Leadership today?