Creating space for emerging leaders to emerge
By Bill
January 27, 2010This is my golden year. In some traditions when the year you were born coincides with your actual age, it is referred to as the “golden year.” Next month I will be 55 and, you guessed it, I was born in 1955.
But like most baby boomers, that number has no correlation to my self-perception. I am, in fact, wondering how a 32 year old man such as myself can actually have a 55th birthday.
This cognitive dissonance first surfaced about three years ago. My wife and I, with some friends, went to the Oakland Coliseum to see a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert. Prior to the start, I stand up, look around and am amazed by the crowd. “Who are all these old people, and why do they like my music?”
Telling that story to my colleagues and friends, there is recognition of the phenomenon I refer to as DAS, or Delusional Age Syndrome. We simply don’t think of ourselves as older, much less on the verge of (wait for it, wait for it) 60. Although I hear that 60 is the new 35 – or is that the DAS talking?
There are a number of implications of this phenomenon – besides the purchase of Harley-Davidsons by men of my generation. For our purposes, this post will focus on one specific consequence of DAS: Emerging Leadership.
As the Director of the Leadership Practice at La Piana, I have an increased interest in the topic of emerging leadership. I believe that in order to truly develop the next generation of leaders for our sector, the first requirement will be for those of us in leadership to come to grips with the reality that we need to make a shift. We need to appreciate that our role, our way of leading, is going to have to change in a very significant way.
We boomers, who love mastery and possibility, need to shift our attention and self-perception from being the doers, movers and stars, to that of mentors, teachers and sages. We have learned a great deal over the past 20 years. (OK, 30 years – sorry, I have DAS.) We are making a mistake and a disservice to our colleagues, to the sector and to ourselves if we don’t make the shift that allows us to pass on our hard-won knowledge to the next generation of leaders.
We need to make the space for emerging leaders to emerge. If they push too hard, we will push back. Be gracious; be open to the possibilities – we need to make the change in us to create the possibilities for them.
I plan on, need to, work for another 15 years. Don’t try to tell me that 15 years from now I will be 70 – that would be too much to bear. I do know that my role needs to shift. My sense of self needs to shift – and I hope I can be more of a teacher, coach, and mentor to others.
CSN&Y closed that famous concert I spoke about with one of my favorite songs: “Teach your Children.” I know that it was originally addressed to our parents. We are now on the other side of that song. Time for us to teach the next generation, and allow them to fly.
