I Appreciate You

Hi there 👋🏽. Ready to lead? "Acts of Leadership" helps people, (irrespective of title or tenure), expand their leadership range one experiment at a time. Each issue shares a [pro/e]vocative definition of leadership, an idea and an experiment.

Gratitude for another is the greatest gift

"Acts of Leadership" is 1 year old today!

Every week for 52 weeks I've shared an opinion on leadership to you all. It's a big milestone for me, and I'm grateful to you, for being there.

I appreciate every one of the subscribers who have found me.

I appreciate everyone who tried the newsletter and decided it wasn't for them.

Thank you.

I see you.

Even bigger thanks to those that I've got into conversation with, to those who have written to me and started conversations. Each and every one of you has given me a massive boost of energy.

You are seen.

A Definition…

"Leadership is... letting people know you see them."

An Idea…

"Sawubona" —

...a common greeting of the Zulu people of South Africa meaning "I see you". It has depth and conveys I see the whole of you - your experiences, your passions, your pain. To be seen is to exist.

I believe the greatest gift we can give is to bear witness to another's lived experience. To have them know they are seen and heard and valued. This is the very core of coaching for me - rooted in the belief that everyone has a natural way of being in the world that is valuable, without any thought or effort on their part.

So thank you, you wonderful human.

Thank you for caring about leadership and how you show up. Thank you for exploring ACTS of LEADERSHIP with me and hundreds of other amazing people.

Leadership needn't be lonely. Yet many feel it.

Loneliness is on the rise.

A phone call; a message; a touch point; …to let the people you care for know that you see them and you hear them, this is a gift.

Everybody needs your love.

Including yourself.

"Shiboka"— the response meaning 'I am seen by you'.

So, to you this week, Sawubona. I see you practising your leadership in all of your interactions.

And Shiboka. I am seen by you as you read this and participate in this community of leadership.

An Experiment…

🎯 What if you could have everyone around you this holiday feel truly seen by you?

🎯 What do you say to them to have them know you see all of them?

Perhaps...

👉🏼 acknowledge a quality in them you appreciate

👉🏼 name something of the positive impact their presence has in your life

Know that I'm working on this. I have an integrity gap here. A difference between what I think and feel about the important people in my life, and my behaviors in communicating this to them.

It's a work in progress, and I will do better.

An invitation to explore…

I saw this video of the very talented Tim Minchin and felt like he was speaking directly to me. Speaking my language. I felt seen and understood. Odd huh? Oh and I laughed out loud - embarrassingly so.

⏯️ YouTube: Tim Minchin - 9 Life Lessons (12 mins)

Leadership needn't be lonely!

Lead when ready!

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