Nourishment for the Leadership Soul

Background   

It has been said, and with good reason, that ‘it is lonely at the top’.

Leaders are expected to lead by example, know the answers, soak in the pressure, lead and manage change, be strong and be always right. They have to deliver results in the short term while keeping the long term in mind, be taskmasters and be compassionate, be just and be ruthless, take matters in hand yet cede reins when appropriate….and do all of these at the same time!

When a leader expresses doubt, loses her/his cool, lapses momentarily in resolve or simply gets exhausted – the organization is very often unforgiving in its judgment. The leader is universally benchmarked  to a higher standard of performance and behaviour than is humanly possible.

It also been said, again with good reason, that ‘leadership is its own reward’.
Leaders are motivated by the desire to create, make a difference, leave a mark, protect and grow. Leaders spark the desire that grabs the team, propels them forward and binds them with a vision that ultimately melds the visionary and the vision.  It is not a job but a calling.

Leaders need nourishment. They need to replenish their internal reserves of which they have to give continuously. They need to nourish their ‘souls’, their ‘competencies’ , gain fresh perspectives to issues and challenges and recharge their leadership mojo.

Rejuvenation of this nature needs time and space – to reflect and change what needs changing. This is often difficult to come by or access, within the environment of one’s own organization and peers. It may be difficult to make oneself vulnerable to judgment in a context where one is continuously judged.

Reflections from BullzI endeavours to assist leaders widen and traverse the gyre.

What Reflections endeavours to offer

1. Help participants gain greater awareness of self and work on progressing towards the natural, congruent higher self.
2. Help participants gain perspectives on dealing with some of the common leadership challenges. This should give them practical and different solutions to experiment within their lives and workplaces.

Programme Design

1. Reflections will be a three-day residential programme conducted somewhere in the hills of Uttarakhand, near the Tehri Dam. It is a place that will provide the ‘nourishment’ for the soul and aid reflection.
2. The participant list is being carefully curated such that their ‘community of practice’ as leaders is what unites participants.  The effort is to keep it free from industry and organizational duplication. This will allow the creation of a ‘safe space’ for sharing without judgment. It will also facilitate the finding of relevant and practical perspectives from others’ experiences.
3. The group size is being kept small, to facilitate more time for individual attention and better group dynamics.
4. Prior to their arrival, participants will be expected to participate in a self-awareness exercise using online instruments. It will be discussed in one on one sessions and in the group.
5. Tools based on well-established psychological frameworks will be used to further aid in understanding self. These will be explored through group work as well.
6. Practices that give participants the opportunity to reflect and introspect will be part of the routine (meditative exercises, walks, individual creation).
7. All participants will be encouraged to carry back from Reflections an individual piece of ‘creation’. This will be a form of expressed art (eg. painting, story, sculpture, pottery….).
8. Participants will also have to submit, in advance, three leadership challenges they wish to gain perspective on. These will be discussed threadbare in the groups.

Programme Brochure