A couple weeks ago I wrote about connecting. In our current socio/political climate, connecting with almost anyone can seem challenging, or at times risky. But I think it’s important to remember that we don’t have to connect with every voice — we don’t even have to connect with the loudest voice — we have choice. And we can chose to connect with those in front of us. Our neighbors, coworkers, friends, family: these are the people we love and who love us. If we can engage there, and listen more than we talk, we can share a new experience. Then, because of their starting point, they will be able to turn and reach someone who is closer to them — but further from us — and have the same positive impact. It’s a domino effect: we can’t do everything, but we can do one thing.
But even more importantly? The impact is the same on us.
When we engage and listen, we’re in turn affected by those same neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family. If we have the courage to truly engage, we too will evolve, we will learn, we will shift, and we will connect with others in new and different ways because of it. It goes both ways.
And that’s what leadership does.
It brings opposition together and finds solutions that serve everyone, that respect everyone, that honor everyone. And, even more importantly, it recognizes that acceptance and connection don’t depend upon agreement. The goal isn’t total agreement with everyone, on the same page, thinking the same thoughts, feeling the same emotions — no. We can lead and follow people we disagree with when we respect them and feel respected, seen and honored in return. The goal in leadership isn’t wholesale conversion, the goal is connection — because as long as we are connected, we have opportunity, potential, hope and R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Sing us out Aretha!
