LEADERSHIP ADVICE (things I have learned over time)
WENDY’S WORDS OF WISDOM: THE TOP FORTY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEVELOPING OUR LEADERS AND MANAGERS FOUNDATION COURSE: SEPTEMBER 2012
Without Vision the People Perish; ( the why is often more important than the what and the how).
Leadership ought to be a noble thing- linked to the spirit but it isn’t always; ‘A leader is someone with an unusual capacity to project their light or project their shadow onto other people’ .
Be a transformer not a conductor of negativity, pain and anxiety. If you don’t know how to transform the lethal current you will always pass it on.
‘Leadership cannot be taught it can only be learned.’ It is both science and art. You should never stop learning. Know that you are never too old or too senior to learn.
True leadership begins first with the motivation to serve others.
The opportunities for leadership are all around us; the capacity for leadership is deep within.
Leaders are the “Custodians of Hope”.
“If you are leading and no-one is following; you are just taking a walk!”
Focus on the Important but Non-urgent things. The important and urgent things have a way of taking over. First build in the rocks and pebbles and there will strangely always be enough room for the dirt and sand.
“The enemy of the good is the perfect”; Go for good not perfect!
“Know the rules very well so you will know how to break them”; Sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Always keep your Emotional Bank Account in the black; You never know when you will need to make a major withdrawal; (You will just have to trust me!).
Remember that an orchestra conductor does not have to know how to play every instrument; just when they are needed.
Practice the art of having coffee; understand the power and synchronicity of networking.
Know when to sleep on something overnight; or when the ritual tea-making is needed.
Don’t lose the capacity to laugh at yourself and the power of humour to cut through tension.
Believe in the power of partnerships and the magic synergy of a well- functioning team.
Resilience is vital; Learn to live with the rhythm of compassion; a quiet mind; an open heart; presence; and radical simplicity.
Practice the art of healthy selfishness.
Weddings are optional; Funerals are a must.
“Just do whatever you were doing before; that seemed to work.”
Be authentic! “Above all, to thine own self be true”. Know yourself; Understand your weaknesses; Work with your strengths; Do it your way.
Leadership means always being prepared to say Sorry.
Poetry can inspire the courage to lead.
Never underestimate the power of a story.
Never forget; “Today a rooster/ Tomorrow a feather duster!”
Most learning takes place at the edge of your comfort zone; Know that you can learn to “breathe underwater”.
Learn to ‘Walk with a Candle’.
Leadership can be lonely; Sometimes you just have to ‘Walk the Line’.
“Spring is born from the cold heart of winter”
Know what season you are in and act accordingly; “Seize the day”.
“This moment won’t last forever”
Work within your Circle of Influence.
An Organisation is like a river; always the same but constantly changing.
Know that everything is never quite what it seems.
Lucky/ Unlucky- Who can tell?
You can’t always dictate or even influence what happens but you can always choose your response.
Work out your walk-away bottom lines; They will often give you the freedom to stay.
Always have Plan B, C and even D on the go.
You have to “know when to leave them”; practice the art of leaving graciously and never “burn your bridges”.
