“Judge me by the enemies I have made.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Effective leadership demands more than rote acceptance of rules, guidelines, policies and practices. Whether in corporate, academia, non-profit or any other leadership venue, we often equate leadership traits of intelligence, toughness, determination, and vision as guideposts for measuring the effectiveness of our leaders. Yet, truly masterful leadership calls for decision making in the context and application of wisdom, sagacity and discernment.
The dictionary defines discernment as “the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure” or “an act of perceiving or discerning something” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Traditional definitions tend to align to religious underpinning of God’s truth, “In its simplest definition, discernment is nothing more than the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically“ (MacArthur, 2009). Discernment in the context of trying to assimilate into a religious dogma, begs the question of whose God are we talking about? Jones (2015, para. 2), of the Centre for Innovative Leadership Navigation, delivers an insightful thesis regarding the importance of discernment for educators, “Interestingly discernment is an area of focus that has largely been left to theologians, which in itself is both interesting and yet somewhat surprising. After all, discernment is fundamental to decision making, and the quality of decision taking surely hinges upon the quality of our discernment. The ability to judge well and with perception can not only improve our ability as a leader, but also as a human being.”
Given the urgencies of our current leadership roles, bringing wisdom and discernment into our decision making requires infusing that which is internal to us, stepping beyond common practice and bridging the chasm between what appears to be visible and apparent to a differentiated level of consciousness.
Conscious discernment elevates our ability to look within to discover nuance, creativity and innovation, all desirable attributes of highly effective leaders and essential to distinguishing truth from fallacy. And yet, truth is elusive and subjective, particularly when others within your organization have dissimilar views, opinions, levels of emotional intelligence, communication styles and ambitions. As leaders, we must make decisions which not only impact those we lead and serve, but advance and support diverse constituents, corporate goals, and ultimately the health of the organization. Do we entrust our decision making strictly to the corporate playbook or look beyond the construct of policies, procedures and practices to embrace what Jack Welch brought to life early in his role as CEO at General Electric? Prior to emboldening his 4E’s model of energy, energize, edge and execution, there were the components of head, heart and guts. “Head,” of course, referred to an individual’s intelligence and competence, “Heart” connoted the “soft” skills of empathy and understanding, which Welch felt were essential to developing the open, candid organization that he was trying to build. “Guts,” as the name implies, meant a level of self-confidence sufficient for making the tough decisions” (Krames, 2005, pp. 8-9).
In our quest for discerning objective truth, are we, as leaders, aware of the internal fires that burn within, creating filters for our decision making? Conscious discernment compels us to think before acting, breathe before engaging and shift from reaction to choice, thus moving away from those fires and internal belief systems that stir from within, unconsciously nudging and inviting quick, and at times, less than productive decision making. When we are aware of being aware, we step into the presence of consciousness, better able to hear the voice from within to distinguish between objective truth and the fallacy of limiting views. Our inner psychic world is a composite of hardwired emotions attached to those indelible experiences that impact decision making and ultimately the consequential results. Our thoughts then, driven by both conscious and unconscious emotional patterns, create our intentions, which lead to our choices, thus constructing our realities. And as human beings, we are imbued with a full range of emotions from joy to rage, all fixtures from within, subject to surfacing in an instant and sparking actions. Daniel Goldman, acclaimed author of Emotional Intelligence, postulates that we have the ability to develop an inner radar to control turbulent emotions by gaining what he refers to as a choice point.
Self awareness is essential in developing consciousness of our self-defeating habits, usually implanted by events in our early childhood, along with understanding that our more-primal limbic signals for strong emotions, when left unchecked, control our behaviors.
When handling our turbulent feelings, it helps to understand what happens in the buildup to them. This typically goes by unnoticed. But if we can bring the buildup into our awareness, we gain a mental foothold that allows us to short-circuit what otherwise would become a destructive emotional hijack. At the very least we can notice how we feel during the hijack itself and note the negative consequences of our impulses. And with luck (or practice), we can catch ourselves in the future and change what we say or do for the better. For this it helps to become aware of the gap between the provocation of an emotion, like anger, and our response. The same goes for our more mundane tensions, the ones we all face when whim and impulse contend with obligation and responsibility. A pause can help us sort out when those impulses and whims are just fine to act on and when obligation and responsibility matter more (Goleman, 2015, Self Awareness, para 3).
While it is true that consistency and stability are desirable attributes of effective leadership, the discerning leader also understands that one size does not fit all. Choosing one’s actions depends on many variables, from environmental to individual competencies and everything in between. Getting to the heart of matter, whether making decisions that affect the overall performance of the organization or deciding which word to insert in an email communication to a colleague, depends on one’s ability to aptly discern the optimal choice. Maxwell (2011) writes, “Good leaders cut through the clutter to see the real issues. They know what really matters. There’s an old saying that a smart person believes only half of what he hears, but a really smart person knows which half to believe” (p.287). And to make matters more complex, conscious discernment ebbs and flows with the constant changes in the many dynamics that drive an organization’s heartbeat. Market changes, technology enhancements, availability of talent, internal organizational politics, and so much more, all act to create a fluid equilibrium requiring balance and constant adjustments.
Effective leadership demands wearing different hats to fit different situations. Discerning which hat to wear or which dance step is required at any given time calls for flexibility and grace. After all, leadership is not in a vacuum, but rather between human beings having a human experience. In the humanness of the experience, others carry with them unique belief systems, aspirations, competencies, motivations and psychic filters. Conscious discernment is proactive, anticipating with clear vision the paths to walk in order to accomplish the tasks at hand and find balance.
One area requiring a great deal of discernment is our own characterological reactions. We all have our imbalances where we get triggered by people and things. Maimonides wrote about the importance of finding that place of balance. This concept covers the gamut of character traits, such as the balance between excessive pride and meekness, between stinginess and wastefulness or between rage and apathy. The intermediate point between extremes is not always easy to find. That’s the idea of consciousness – finding the exact point of balance that’s needed for the situation. (Wolbe, 2001, Ch. 3, para 2).
Sagacity as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary (1997), synonymous to discernment, speaks to one, “…gifted with acuteness of mental discernment, having special aptitude for the discovery of truth, penetrating and judicious in the estimation of character and motives, and the devising of means for accomplishment of ends” (Gunz & Lissack, 2005, p. 397). More importantly, a distinguishing element which further supports a level of conscious discernment is a leader’s interpretive knowledge. Clearly, leadership acumen centered in creativity and innovation are highly desirable for any organization, but without the ability to see beyond the specifics of a particular situation in its overall context and environment, great progress and results may not occur. Simmons and Sower (2012) explore this concept, termed the helicopter view, originally developed by the Royal Dutch Shell Company as,
The ability to see the big picture that the helicopter view provides is a vital leadership trait. But sagacity also incorporates the wisdom to see what others do not and to effectively act upon that information by providing leadership that can identify transformational creativity and foster innovation within their organizations. Without sagacity, the helicopter view might enable an organization to adapt to changes in its environment through continuous incremental improvement but provides no guarantee that it will recognize potential paradigm-shifting events on the horizon (reactive) or develop those events itself (proactive). (p. 301).
The concept and practice of conscious discernment in leadership necessitates an elevated state of perception and awareness. One’s ability to rise above the three dimensional limitations to become the observer, present and aware of your own leadership behaviors, yet with a holistic view of all the moving parts, optimizes a leader’s capacity to comprehend a clear path forward. The analogy of being both on the dance floor and in the balcony, watching with keen interest, as beautifully illustrated by Heifetz and Linsky (2002), provides an important element of higher awareness necessary for envisioning a more comprehensive understanding.
Leadership is an improvisational art. You may have an overarching vision, clear, orienting values, and even a strategic plan, but what you actually do from moment to moment cannot be scripted. To be effective, you must respond to what is happening. Going back to our metaphor, you have to move back and forth from the balcony to the dance floor, over and over again throughout the day, week, month, and year. You take action, step back and assess the results of the action, reassess the plan, then go to the dance floor and make the next move. You have to maintain a diagnostic mindset on the changing reality” (p. 73).
Each situation requires assessing the most optimal dance step. Do you waltz or tango? And which partner provides you the greatest opportunities for an enlightened response?
Have you ever wondered why you connect better with some people while with others, the simplest of communications seem strained and counterproductive, despite your best efforts? Human beings are in essence super-conductive electromagnetic miracles, energized, electric and infinitely connected to each other. You have heard the phrases, “She’s got an electric personality,” or “When he speaks, people listen,” or “She’s always one step ahead of everyone else.” These comments illustrate observations we make of individuals who stand out as different, more expressive and possessing qualities that could be described as super-human or of a sixth sense. What is it that causes a room full of people to turn and notice an unknown individual walking into the space, while others come and go without notice? Energetically, if we were able to see the energy that emits from us, we would discover an elevated aura, a palpable flow of current exuding from certain individuals. Why is this? Energy, when viewed as a current, flows within a frequency, from low to high. Leaders sensitive to their own output can choose, at any given moment, to elevate their vibration by shifting from unconscious auto-pilot to the present moment, selecting an awareness of openness and light. From this point of conscious awareness, leaders can make decisions that are discerning and empowering, reflective of supporting those being led with intentional foresight and direct connection. When this level of presence is employed, different choices emerge; those you lead and serve feel your energy and a higher degree of collaboration can manifest.
Interestingly, while companies need discerning transformational leaders who possess the knowledge, charisma and talent to spearhead changes that elevate profitability, expand market share in a competitive and ever-changing environment, and change the rules of the game in their industry, relatively few leaders fit this mold. Few executives understand the unique strengths needed to become a discerning leader. Rooke and Torbert (2005), discuss the Seven Transformations of Leadership without any regard to discernment, proposing that great leaders are differentiated not by their personality or philosophy but by their action logic—how they interpret their own and others’ behavior and how they maintain power or protect against threats. Central to their thesis is the belief that leaders are made, not born, and how they develop is critical for organizational change. Their extensive research included twenty-five years of survey-based consulting across a diverse array of highly successful American and European companies and thousands of executives, managers and professionals. Out of this research emerges seven action types that catalogued leaders based on characteristics shown and strengths identified.
Notably, we found that the three types of leaders associated with below-average corporate performance (Opportunists, Diplomats, and Experts) accounted for 55% of our sample. They were significantly less effective at implementing organizational strategies than the 30% of the sample who measured as Achievers. Moreover, only the final 15% of managers in the sample (Individualists, Strategists, and Alchemists) showed the consistent capacity to innovate and to successfully transform their organizations (para 8).
Of the total number of surveyed leaders, only 5% represented the highest levels of transformational ability, the Strategist at 4% and the Alchemist at 1%. The Strategist, as a transformational leader, generates organizational and personal transformations. He/she exercises the power of mutual inquiry, vigilance, and vulnerability for both the short and long term. The highest level of Alchemist, good at leading society-wide transformations, generates social integration of material, spiritual, and societal factors to achieve a higher order.
While there is efficacy to this study, it fails to consider the innate, unique and less tangible, yet highly relevant characteristic of discernment. One can learn to listen more effectively and develop leadership skills necessary to become the Strategist and Alchemist. Yet, how does one learn compassion or evolve to a higher vibration, one that touches the hearts of others? A leader’s ability to exercise sagacious intelligence and the discernment necessary to provide a differentiated degree of understanding, empathy and human connection deserves our collective attention. In a world exponentially changing, wrought with increased instability, violence, corporate greed and disparity of wealth, our leaders must align to a higher calling, one that bridges consciousness with discernment. Today’s leaders must integrate conscious discernment. It is simply not enough to define effective leadership by the standards and characteristics of yesterday’s leaders. Discernment, through the application of wisdom and sagacity, is the catalyst for future-thinking, action-based leadership at a time when our global community requires nothing less.
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