The Leadership Constant

Book excerpt: Humans have been conditioned to fear and avoid changes, but no advancement happens without it. Change is the driving factor behind all progress even though we are inherently uncomfortable with it and strive to maintain the status quo. We prefer repetitive, routine tasks with minimal energy which is why so much of our lives happen on autopilot. Comfort zones provide a sense of well-being, but change happens and we are thrust into transitions, sometimes against our will. It takes time to process the emotions and adapt to a new environment with a new set of rules and as difficult as that is for individuals, the level of complexity is multiplied in organizations. This provides specific challenges to leadership who must adapt the conscious act of leading audaciously as it is the difference between survival and failure. A leader must motivate people out of their natural preference for inertia and into a new level of excitement about making changes that they are programmed to resist. History provides excellent examples of audacious leadership strategies. Dr. Judy Morley outlines five audacious strategies, illustrated by examples from the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, and contemporary businesses. Each strategy is considered audacious because it didn’t necessarily follow the prescribed norms and called for bold, daring action. The success of these strategies in the microcosm of the Battle of Gettysburg is reinforced by a contemporary example in the macrocosm of today’s business world. If the use of these strategies can change the course of humanity, they can certainly beef up your leadership.