In this week’s readings I found many inspiring and surprising concepts that I hadn’t considered before. For example, shifting the idea of leadership off of an individual. Sometimes I’m surprised by how deep I actually am in Western ideas and I’m happy to be reminded that there’s an opportunity for me to challenge that part of myself. Creating a different definition of what leadership is, how it can look and who can hold it, is a beautiful thing to consider. This shift is just what our world could benefit from. Global leadership and collective leadership has an element of empathy and caring, that holds space and value for the experiences of others and what collective experiences can bring to the table. On the opposite end, the idea of heroic leadership is rooted in ego that can flourish under this sort of individualism and hierarchy. There’s also a dangerous opportunity here to attract a certain type of leader who craves being put up on a pedestal to feed that ego. Shifting this definition or a standard for what leadership should be will be an exciting thing to explore. These concepts remind me of the phrase, “Pulling up the ladder behind you”. This phrase pertains usually to a certain individual and whether or not they invite others into their ‘success’ or not. I’m contemplating now how many of the leaders in this world are the kind of leaders that have ‘left the ladder behind them’. What does opening that space for others to join look like?In other thoughts, I enjoyed Ragdale’s concepts on emergent strategy and how essentially being lost in the process can take you places unimaginable. I can understand why this could be a difficult strategy for more people. It takes a huge amount of courage and bravery to wander through a process and potentially ‘fail’ along the way. I think this strategy is a wonderful way to practice failing in a way that’s positive. In a very western mindset, I have a feeling that many wouldn’t give the time and space to wander aimlessly without intention. Or at the least that enacting this strategy would create discomfort for many. But here, I think, lies the magic! A bit of discomfort, courage, and the willingness to fail can take a leader a long way.
https://www.artsjournal.com/jumper/2022/12/co-creating-with-a-conscience-or-why-study-leadership-at-an-art-design-college/
https://www.artsjournal.com/jumper/2023/01/on-a-strategy-of-indeterminacy-or-the-value-of-creating-pathways-to-the-unforeseen/