It is that time of year again when we gather with family members to break bread and have feasts. What an opportunity to celebrate one another and cherish our loved ones!
Unfortunately, there is so much strife and angst within our communities that the thought of gathering together is not always feasible. Throughout the world there are wars raging and communities are torn apart.
Just look at the news headlines. Occupy Wall Street protesters are taking to the streets. American troops and soldiers are just returning from abroad. Homeless and poverty-stricken families are trying to do the best they can.
So, it is the perfect time for leaders to take on the challenge of assembling the masses. With one gesture of reaching out to those in need leaders can mend the challenges and fractures. It might be the empathetic leader reaching out to the unknown. Or it could be the passionate leader speaking a message of truth. Whatever the leader’s capacity might be now is the time to act swiftly!
Also, this is an opportunity to bring collaboration to the forefront. Our neighborhoods can no longer exist in isolation. What is needed now is a new wave of leaders dedicated to doing more to bring others together. Having leaders mindful about cooperation rather than self-aggrandizement will be the difference that is needed.
At the end of the day, we can shift our focus from selfish leadership positioning to selfless leadership collaboration. What a different place the world would be!
Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
