Leaders: Turn Negatives Into Positives

My leadership coach and I shared time and breakfast today. His name is Bob Burgess. As we left the restaurant, with a twinkle in his eye, Bob offered to send me a missive.

A few minutes later, I found this passage from John O’Donohue’s Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom in my inbox:

“If you try to avoid or remove the awkward quality, it will pursue you. The only effective way to still its unease is to transfigure it, to let it become something creative and positive that contributes to who you are. Nietzsche said that one of the best days in his life was the day when he re-baptized all his negative qualities as his best qualities. Rather than banishing what is at first glimpse unwelcome, you bring it home to unity with your life…One of your sacred duties is to exercise kindness toward them. In a sense, you are called to be a loving parent to your delinquent qualities.”

Sometimes our greatest strength is bundled up as our biggest weakness. Leading well is about self-awareness. Staying on that path is the surest way to turn any negative quality into your best quality. Be easy on yourself. Apply your energy wisely. A leader’s job is to create and change the culture of an organization. Your job is to care deeply about your people. Your job is to teach your people well. That’s different than the process of management.

These are the things that Bob and I connected over today (thank you, Bob). I hope that Bob’s way of influencing me, helps you–so in the spirit of Anam Cara (Gaelic for soul friend), I share.

To learn more about this Celtic spiritual tradition, click here.