In a world wracked with uncertainty, day-to-day decision-making is severely impacted. The difference between distracting, tactical, and strategic elements is constantly blurred. CEOs and senior decisionmakers constantly react rather than anticipate, leading to preoccupation and exhaustion. There is no paucity of data or scenarios, but what is the ‘right’ choice? Since making choices and decisions is the core of a leader’s role, in my leadership coaching over the past decade I have endeavoured to locate that ‘oasis’ wherein a leader can reflect and rest before committing an organisation and its ecosystem to a particular and sometimes irrevocable path, impacting livelihoods in geographies far removed from themselves. We can go deep into childhood events, to the destinations we aspire to and the life stages that influence us. But only in recent years have I started including what I believe is the ‘oasis’ – family and close friends. From an initial surprise and wariness, it is today often welcomed by clients, especially when at the cusp of a deeper personal transformation. The emotional poise required to confront the often conflicting demands which go into a decision can only come from a place of tranquillity. For most of us, that place is our family and close friends. If it is truly an oasis, it girds one up to face continuous dilemmas. Conversely, if there is chaos, one barely copes and may even unravel. Ironically, we fall prey to the fallacy that home is where tranquillity needs to reign, but without our having to consciously invest in it. After all, unlike boards and investors – who may come across as opportunistic, the family unit is one of permanent shareholders whom, if nurtured, will be there for us through thick and thin. It is this need for a tranquil personal space, with an unstated assumption that someone else is responsible for its creation, which aggravates an already abysmal lack of understanding and vocabulary around partnership in the family unit. So, what do we do? As the leadership coaching journey unfolds, three imperatives emerge. 40 |
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