A633.1.2.RB_GarciaCaleb

 Leadership Gap

It would appear that leadership is a concept which is defined differently depending on the time period and context within a given environment. I have personally observed this over the course of my life, as I recall playing "follow the leader" game as a child. In this context, the "leader" referred to the child in the front of the line, whom everyone else was meant to imitate. At a later age, I came to define the term "leader" as a person who sets a good example to others, sometimes an overachiever, and sometimes a good friend or teammate. As an adult, I still remember my old definition of "leader", but have disconnected its former meaning and replaced it to mean a person with authority to influence change, many times holding a formal title granting him such power. 

The various understandings I have held over time of leadership are all paradoxically correct in my perspective, but comparatively off-base from the standpoint of older folks, people who defined leadership differently during their own younger years. Perhaps they would never have thought to question or doubt who was in front of the line to be imitated. Furthermore, after studying some material on adaptive leadership in complex environments, I am beginning to recognize that today society values passive, humble, servant leadership much more than it desires gubernatorial leadership, both on the macro and micro scales. The disconnect between what I feel that my workplace office, for example, needs versus what it wants from its leadership is what I personally define as the present "leadership gap."

My own attitudes towards leadership in my operational circles has evolved. I find that I simultaneously crave competent and strong leadership, and when none is present I want to become that individual who is in control and makes everything right. At one point I was at place of extreme scrutiny and criticism of incompetent and unqualified leadership. Today however, I think I see more of a need to rally people together and focus on the collective to achieve results, rather than linger bitterly on bad bosses. The reality is that I have seen resilient teams of determined people weather poor quality leadership time and time again. I believe that grit and resilience can be part of the solution in closing the so called leadership gap. However, as time goes forward, more significant than the information being constantly published on leadership, is the increasing awareness of strategic listening and compassionately communicating meaningfully to the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. As such communication becomes normalized in the workplace, in homes, and institutions, I believe that influence and power will sway away from individuals with formal job titles, and into the hands of those simply trying to be good examples to others, thereby continually closing the leadership gap.

-Caleb