April has been encouraging. Sentiment is changing. 

Welcome Spring!

Leaders are actively making room for strategic thought, organizational development and themselves. What a change, a mere eight weeks ago we were still in crisis response mode.  Last year a level of cultural stress, unseen since the 70‘s, was heaped on top of it all and a flame was lit. The intensity continues to smolder as the pandemic related logistical and clinical crisis calms down and our Nation grapples with moving towards a more just, equitable reformative state. Important steps were made this week and there is much more to be done. 

I was moved deeply as my own CEO of Providence responded after the verdict from Minneapolis, reminding all of us to embrace our role as healers in working to overcome our collective pain, heal our cultural wounds, and endeavor to redefine and deliver a future that is inclusive for all. He didn‘t have to make a statement, but he chose to lead and do it with conviction.

Why am I sharing this? 

We as Leaders are increasingly expected to be visible and weigh in on ethical and moral issues, with conviction. We risk losing our credibility, our authenticity and our leadership impact by remaining overtly neutral or passive. Taking the risk to lead by conviction is a hallmark of powerful leaders. It‘s also something that is both emotionally challenging and perniciously difficult to leverage with consistency and authenticity without script or agenda. How do we do more of this ourselves, at all levels? Consistently and authentically? In the April newsletter to Leaders I‘ll offer a bit more on this topic, some concepts and tools that were recently shared with me. I hope you find them as eye opening and valuable as I have. 

You are the faces of Courage, Grace and Grit.

-cw