Collaborative Leadership in the Face of Change

“How we live and grow and stay purposeful in the face of constant change actually does determine both the quality of our lives, and the impact that we can have when we move into action together” –adrienne maree brown

In figuring out next steps as we move through the next phases of this pandemic, and throughout my leadership journey, I am faced with understanding how to adapt and change and provide leadership when the way forward isn’t even known or clear.

It’s hard as a leader to admit I don’t totally know what I’m doing or what the way forward will look like for us all. But then again, it’s real and honest to admit that I and other leaders don’t always have the answers or know where we’re headed and how we will get there. It is empowering to say we’re all in this and we will all figure it out together and be here for each other along the way. We all have strengths, and sometimes leadership is about guiding, facilitating, and making space for other’s to use their talents and ideas to help find solutions.

Part of leadership is finding ways to build collaborative relationships and maintain connection to our common goals, purpose and vision. I find that if I let my true self show then others can open up too and we can create the trust and connection needed to figure things out and begin to take action together. As the quote above states we can begin to “grown and stay purposeful in the face of constant change.”

As a leader in an organization we are faced with having to adapt to new ways of work as we consider how and when to safely open the office back up and how to approach work differently. We will have to adapt to news ways of working with some still working remotely, or hybrid schedules, or “hoteling” of sharing of work spaces.

As I stated in my book, “collaboration begins when people work together toward a common goals and achieve something they couldn’t have done as well if they had been working alone.” So we’ll figure it out together. Things won’t be the same but whatever way they are we’ll forge ahead together with purpose and our collective wisdom and goals.