Intension-based leadership as a light in the darkness.

The people who blog and create content for the web amaze me. The amount of content generated daily is more than anyone can consume, and I wonder how they manage to be so creative. It occurs to me that these influencers' full-time jobs generate that content, and the more successful ones have a staff of people to curate and produce content. My dream as a high school student was to become a newspaper columnist like Mike Royko or Molly Invins. Instead, I spend my time helping organizations improve at delivering solutions for customers and making work more sustainable. It is demanding but provides nominal financial security and tremendous personal fulfillment. I doubt I will be an influencer, but I know I will give the leadership my clients and community need.

2024 was not a good year for positive leadership examples. Political leaders looked corrupt or impotent. Prominent cultural figures became implicated in human trafficking. Finally, the beneficiaries of the profits from Pay Pal are unsatisfied with the power that comes with wealth and want to create alternatives to the modern nation-state. Finally, people frustrated with the political left and right engage in vigilante behavior because they feel contemporary society does not serve them. It is infuriating that leaders have not come forward to attempt to point us forward in a better direction.

On a lonely night in 2016, I wrote, "Even in darkness, we can find resolve and purpose." Eight years later, I feel just as strongly that we can act as individual points of light during dark times. I also look at the writing of David Marquet, the author of "Turn the Ship Around," He points out that traditional leaders are all-knowing and in charge. In our complicated times, Marquet realized that truly effective leadership is about creating leaders and developing competency with the communities you serve. It is a radical notion I embraced with the enthusiasm of a new convert. It would take some time for the implications of this notion to sink in.

Instead of giving orders and expecting obedience, a leader must outline a clear vision and ensure everyone understands it. The approach requires trust and open, unambiguous communication. In this way, people understand your intent and then want to satisfy that intent. If you are working on a software project and need a particular feature, spell that out and let the people beneath you figure out how to make that happen.

The second part is to build confidence and competence among the people you serve. It is easy to lead by fear and scolding others. Still, authentic leadership provides an environment where people build confidence in what they are doing and the competence to back it up. It requires helping people individually and providing training regularly. It also means giving help and correction to people in an encouraging manner. I had the misfortune of working for a manager who thought it was helpful to have meetings where they would ask the other managers to point out errors in my reports. It felt more like hazing than constructive criticism.

The final part of this kind of leadership is to put yourself in the "back of the room," letting others lead the way. When people understand your intentions and the goals you want to achieve, others serving under your leadership will chip in and make them a reality. The Chicago White Sox are a historically lousy baseball team. Still, in 2005, I remember that when they won the World Series, the Manager, Ozzy Guillen, stayed in the dugout and let the players celebrate on the field. Even though he was the team manager, he felt it was not his place to celebrate success. It was the players who deserved to rejoice. I think that is the epitome of outstanding leadership.

So, I will attempt to practice my leadership in the coming months by leading from the back of the room, building competence and confidence in your team, and providing clear goals. The cultural, political, and economic landscape will get dark over the next few years. It is up to professionals like me to be a light source because I believe we can still find resolve and purpose in times of darkness.

Until next time.