Reflections 29th October

The mirrors we use matters...

Photo by Михаил Секацкий on Unsplash

There are weeks when the idea of moving to a cabin in the woods and going all Walden has real appeal. Times when events that register at seismic levels of tragedy, bitterness and futility get converted into words and imagery designed not for reflection, connection or healing but clickbait for business models predicated on harvesting outrage.

It can be frustrating to see opportunities for leadership and dignity give way to populism and a scrabbling for attention by mediocre and insecure politicians who have easy access to the communication firehose of social media and partisan, well-funded news channels.

Observations made by good friends during the week have stayed with me and grown like seeds. The first noted that we can produce all the courses and formulas for leadership we want, but in the end, our qualities as leaders come not from what we do, but from our presence as mirrors onto which people can project their dreams and fears. The second remind…