The Secret that Turns Frailty to Opportunity
The façade of competence destroys leaders.
Disruption, adversity, and crisis remind you of frailty. How you respond to frailty sets the course of your future.
Frailty strengthens you to release:
- Self-absorption.
- Self-infatuation.
- Self-glorification.
- Self-protection.
We need reminders that we aren’t ALL THAT.
The secret:
Everyone who faces adversity with arrogance is made worse.
Humility turns frailty into opportunity.
Those who face frailty with humility learn they aren’t ALL THAT.
Humility adapts:
Most leaders brag that their people are stepping up in new ways. But there are a few exceptions. You may have one or two people on your team who refuse to adapt.
The frailty of arrogance is inflexibility.
The drive to serve compels humility to adapt.
The practice of humility during adversity:
#1. Take on new roles and responsibilities:
Those who refuse to adapt during crisis become irrelevant.
Crisis and adversity are opportunity to do things you’ve never done. Or you grab your toys and run home.
Crisis reveals arrogance. The old mantra, “I’ve got to be me,” sounds shallow when there’s a need you can fill, but don’t.
Humble leaders take their turn on the disinfecting crew, like one VP I know.
#2. Open your mind:
Turbulence turns established practice on its head.
Humility learns. Arrogance knows.
Humility has many teachers. Arrogance has none.
#3. Care deeply:
Arrogance cares for itself. Humility cares for others.
- No personal exemptions.
- Perks don’t matter when the house is on fire.
- Others’ wants and needs take priority.
Humility gives birth to empathy. Arrogance is apathetic to the needs of others.
#4. Receive help:
Self-sufficiency turns adversity into tragedy.
You go further when you give help AND when others help you.
Humility acknowledges its need of others.
I write a lot about humility because I need it, not because I have it.
What opportunities do you see in crisis?
What prevents leaders from growing through adversity?
What opportunities do you see in crisis?
In this specific case, to build, build and build more on the science base that can help to provide drugs, vaccines and supportive treatments for current and emerging disease threats.
What prevents leaders from growing through adversity?
Sometimes, the impact of the adversity itself. Sadly, not all organisations, leaders and the like survive the adversities they face.
Having grown up with 5 older sisters and NO brothers, I learned very early “It`s not all about you, and it never will be!” That early training has served me well.
Smiling here on your last sentence… Transparency is the first step, right?
This blog entry had perfect timing. Today was a very trying day at the job site. Everything that could go wrong, did. There were people who sprang into action, people who ran to hide and people who were middle of the road. All three groups had at least one person who was so resistant to change because of arrogance that they actually threw tantrums. I struggled with trying to get people to understand that they were not being helpful by being afraid of change. People are so sensitive to words these days. In the end, I felt it best to speak to each person in their own language rather than saying one generalized statement to everyone. I find that people listen better that way.
Crises is best served when managed by a crisis leader. I think we may be observing particular characteristics in real-time that do not serve the crises well.
First and foremost, successes are not about one person but a community of communities that make our nation. In the current crises, we see great sacrifice from many without faces or names; however, they are saving lives, feeding families, and supporting their neighbors. Opportunities reveal themselves to those who seek them – at a local, regional or national level.
Those that do not empower others, seek consul from experts, or see outside of themselves will never evolve personally, professionally, or emotionally.
Thank you for this post Dan. Your opening line is fantastic and true.
Frailty is important and allows us to learn about ourselves if we are open to it. As such, crisis brings the opportunity to find out about oneself in new ways. Humility grants the ability to see the lessons and to apply them. Your point about humility learning and arrogance knowing is very important. As leaders, I think it is important to reflect on the opportunity that crisis provides for us to open ourselves up to others, such as with your 4th point. It helps the people around us to see us show our frailty and humanity at times. It has been my experience that showing some needs and letting others help, especially in a crisis, can allow leaders to be more accepted and unified with their workforce. Leaders are prevented from growing through adversity due to a lack of flexibility. Refusing to take on new roles (even if they are “below you”) due to the inflexibility you mentioned is probably one of the biggest causes of stunted growth during adversity. Others can see when someone is unwilling to serve and to humble themselves at any time, but especially in crisis. I am sure many of us can remember reading about commanders/generals in the past who have humbled themselves in battle and won the respect of their peers. While changing roles can be a cause of truncated growth if resisted, it can also lead to great success if done sincerely.
🙂
How topical to my day.
The Frailty in Leadership routinely can be traced to cowardice, and resting on the laurels obtained fraudulently.
Justin Trudeau is but one of many examples.