Old school Superhero or 21st century Sapient leader?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s you being promoted to a leader – you are now a Superhero!

And we do all love a Superhero – from 1938 when the first Superman comic was published, to Wonder Woman appearing in comic in 1941, to the present day Marvel cinematic Superheroes. The Marvel Superheroes look like us but they’re better. Whether she is battling baddies, fighting against the odds, smart, strong, fast, furious. Wrestling the insurmountable, Superheroes offer a sense of hope and inspiration. When things seem overwhelming, They are something to look up to. They take on the impossible and win

And now you are a leader, that Superhero, my friend, is you

The thing is, a lot of us sort of ‘land up’ in our leadership roles. We are picked as captain of the football, hockey or chess teams at school, identified for our ‘natural leadership style’ and it sort of goes from there. We maybe get sent on a leadership course or two, yet often we simply work hard, are the best at what we do, and suddenly we are ‘promoted’ and then ‘promoted’ again. We are now a Superhero

Of course our first reaction is typically delight. Thrilled to be recognised for our stand out super powers, we happily twirl in our new cape and accept the new leadership opportunity

Then reality kicks in

Look around and you will see that leading in today's world is even tougher than ever. Rapid transformation and disruption is now normal. Leaders need to not only stay on top of the latest trends and developments, but also be able to respond with pace and efficiency to unexpected or unforeseen events. Today's leaders face an accelerating pace of change which combined with factors such as the challenge of hybrid working, collaborative peer networking and ensuring engagement scores move up and up, means that the traditional 'command driven' Superhero approach is no longer effective

As Jim Rohn, the acclaimed entrepreneur and motivational speaker said:

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour but without folly.” 

The truth is, the toughest part of being a leader is to be able to do the right thing irrespective of the external pressures we are facing. Great leaders work out how to deal with adverse consequences. The best leaders don't have to figure it out because they have the tools to do the right thing all the time

Oh my goodness, how do you actually do that then? The answer is you turn from Superhero to Sapient leader. It is no longer about you being the command and control, the better than everyone else Superhero. It is now about being a Sapient leader, wise, discerning and able to get the most out of every person and every opportunity you face. Easier said than done though ... 

What you have been telling us, some of you very senior, some of you new into leadership roles - is that you agree and are finding leading others in today's ever changing, fast paced world, impossibly tough. We describe leading in today's context as sometimes feeling like you are leading in a maze with a blindfold on 

Being in a maze because frankly, what with the challenges of hybrid working round one corner, a constant feeling of overwhelm round the next, targets getting higher, resources getting lower and senior leaders exhorting you to "get your head out of the weeds and be more strategic", today being a leader has gone from a dream job to what can feel like a bit of a nightmare at times. Everywhere we turn leaders are telling us they feel ill equipped and under prepared, with imposter syndrome ready to pounce at the next twist or turn

But how do you get hold of the tools to transform into a Sapient leader without going on some kind of impossible to get on, eye-wateringly expensive, immersive yearlong leadership programme at an Ivy League University?

Well, to help you all, we have created the Leading Others Upskill, designed to equip and prepare you to become a first-rate leader in the 21st century - enabling others to succeed with purpose and passion. We will give you the “how to’s” for success, sharing the mind-set and approach of a Sapient leader, so you can create rhythms and routines to master your leadership role 

Our Leading Others Upskill combines bite-sized videos, private podcasts, 121 Mentor sessions, bespoke Journals and purposeful self-reflection exercises for you to apply - at home, at work, in your whole life. The Leading Others Upskill will teach you “how to” be wise, knowing “how to” discern the best next move in every situation. You will learn the top challenges and misconceptions leaders face and “how to” address these head on, including making hybrid really work! Knowing when and “how to” be direct, to encourage, to consult, to delegate, to guide, to stretch, to coach, to come alongside, and when and “how to” forge ahead. You will learn "how to" get your head out of the weeds and lead at the right level - a higher level of performance. Equipping and enabling, empowering and motivating, so everyone can excel - no super powers required!

These are the steps you will achieve as you journey through the Upskill. You will become a high performance leader who learns, adapts, grows - able to lead others with compassion and wisdom, a Sapient leader

 You can explore Leading Others Upskill here