I facilitated a Leadership Retreat where around 30 leaders, from as many different organizations, converge to bond and collectively begin a 9 month community leadership program.
This was my third program year to facilitate this Retreat and I’ve made significant changes in the process each time. I’ve tried to provide useful content while simultaneously creating opportunities for relationship building that will be fuel for a positive journey through the program.
Debriefing my performance made me reflect on one of the most difficult things a leader has to do … shine brightly in one moment and quickly fade in the next.
While technology and collaboration are constantly coming into their own in our 21st Century lives, we still need Leaders. We too many times think that a leader must always be on, must always appear in control, or must have all the answers. This is a very unfair set of expectations to pile on another – or on oneself.
The unpleasent surprise was when I admitted how uncomfortable it was for me to shine my light and then shut it completely off … and especially to admit this as a matter of ego! Then I heard the Retreat participants’ feedback on the high quality of bonding that had indeed occurred.
Success was achieved with a minimal, but focused, effort on my part.
