Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations

Word count this issue: 339

Estimated reading time:  2:30 minutes

Greetings from AC8570, enroute to Regina. This is my last trip of the year, and the last Leadership Notes for 2017.

I’d like to thank each and everyone of you for your continued support and engagement with these notes. 2018 promises a new format as I’ll add an audio version (assuming all goes well in the pilots) so that you can take a few minutes to listen, or read Leadership Notes. I’m looking forward to your feedback and ideas as I roll that out early in 2018.

For this week’s wonderings, I was inspired by my coach and spiritual director. In a session he noted that there was an interesting twist in the translation (and you know how I love words!) of the word ‘meek’ ancient texts like The Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 5-7) The line “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”,(matt 5:5) is an example. The word in Greek that we translate as ‘meek’ is praus. This word usually refers to ‘power under control’, like a light wind, or a slow moving river. Both the wind and the river have great power, but in their quieter formats they have are compelling and comfortable. We know they have power, but it is under control and safe.

What do you think? We have this sense of ‘meek’ as quiet and almost afraid, but in its original sense it was anything but afraid. Rather it was power under control. I’d love to know what connections you make about the exercise of power in leadership. Can you think of leaders who manifest power under control and those who manifest power out of control? Who would you rather work with? Which one are you?

Happy Holidays to each of you and to your families and friends. May 2018 bring much joy, and power under control into your practice and life as leaders.