Organic Leadership for Imperfect Times
When Leadership Dreams Meet Difficult Realities
I once showed up to a local club’s weekly meeting to provide a lunchtime keynote on Organic Leadership - the natural, human-centric skills that make all the difference in individuals and organizations.
I was hyped about my topic and kinda proud of my “organic” angle that felt very much in tune with the contemporary zeitgeist.
I arrived to discover that the event was located in the backroom of a steakhouse that was… old school.
Like 1970s light-brown linoleum tile on the floor, dimly lit booths, and a buffet bar with dry meats drenched in buckets of highly caloric sauce - and all of it declaring quite clearly, “There is absolutely nothing organic here.”
As I usually try to avoid heavy foods when I’m about to speak, I angled for the salad bar and found myself picking around some already-browning lettuce and eventually pulled forth enough pieces to fill my small plate.
Once at the backroom with greens in hand, I was greeted by the only person who’d arrived thus far - the frantic club president. “I’m so sorry! We double booked! The local fire chief is coming to speak!”
“Oh…” I said, trailing off.
But, always one to try and roll with things I quickly added, “Ok, well… I’m happy to work with him on what might be best once he arrives,” as I scanned the backroom that currently had a solid 50 seats available.
Eventually, the club regulars arrived.
All six of them.
Notably, the Fire Chief was not among the eventual arrivals.
“Well, I don’t know what happened!” the club president began lamenting. “In our email exchange he said he was coming,” she continued as if an experienced-and-prepared speaker was not already sitting directly in front of her.
“Well,” she finally said as she looked in my direction. “Why don’t you do your thing?”
Out of habit, I headed over to the wood podium at the very end of the long dining table where all six of them were seated.
And I felt… ridiculous.1
The organic leadership guy at the processed-a–plenty restaurant.
The second option speaker with the ‘crowd’ still getting over the Fire Chief’s no-show.
The lectern guy in a room with 44 of the 50 seats entirely empty.
—
For all that has been written and said about leadership over the past 40 years, the word still carries a positive, inspiring connotation.
Leadership conjures images of mountains ascended, movements catalyzed, and greatness glowing.
But the truth about leadership2 is this: it never unfolds like we imagine.
It may be that…
We dream of leading an inspired, rugged team or organization unto impossible heights…
…but too often, instead, it can feel like we have been sent to the backroom where too many of the folks don’t really show and those who do kinda wanted this to be going differently.We aim to nourish heart, mind, body, soul, and community with our fresh vision…
…but too often, instead, it can feel like everyone seems perfectly content with the dry meat that worked ok yesterday so why not drench it in nostalgic calories and have it again today?
We imagine leading our household in a beautiful synchronicity - parents-and-children working in tandem to complete the chores, sharing in the cheer of mealtime, and relaxing into fun storytelling, creative games, and a settled slumber each night…
…but too often, instead, it can feel like we have children wondering why their parent wasn’t a Fire Chief like the other cool parents, parents wondering why their child doesn’t help with dishes like the Fire Chief’s kid surely does, and everyone basically on their device wanting to be like the Insta-perfect people.We imagine the flag flying high and our helping to lead the diverse, hand-upon-heart multitudes standing in shared pride and purpose that yes we shall walk the road of liberty and justice for all!…
…but too often, instead, it can feel like we’ve shown up to a terribly torn, quietly (and not-so-quietly) seething, aching reality where the multiple sides spend no small amount of energy drawing deep lines in the sand and building high soundproof walls - all of it almost like everyone has opted for the resigned comfort of self-imposed prison.
Which is to say….
We dream grand visions for the many ways our influence can and will play out at the office, in the household, in the neighborhood, in the faith community, in the school, in the nation, and even throughout the world!
And then the actual reality is always so much…
Messier.
Uninspiring.
Challenging.
Fraught.
Just. Plain. Hard.
What did we sign up for?!
Or…
Is this somehow the Way of Leadership?
Did not the One who declared himself the Way unto True Life refuse to stay in the comforts of heavenly splendor to teach the Way, but instead chose to dwell among humanity?3
Is not the heartbeat of his entire generational, world-changing influence the fact that he chose to walk towards, with, and for people who oftentimes don’t show up, prefer nostalgic leftovers, and generally wish a fabled Fire Chief would just fix everything?
Is not the other thing we sometimes call this kind of choice… Love?
—
Upon arriving to the podium for my keynote, I took a few moments to gather my thoughts and quickly realized that it would be a painful irony if I remained standing there to ‘keynote’ on this particular topic.
Can you really talk about organic, natural, human-centered leadership skills from a proud podium twenty feet away from the six attendees?
Can such things as…
Agency
Empathy
Trust
Belonging
Collaboration
Compassion
Generosity
Recognition
& Love
…gain a foothold by lobbing nice words to the huddled crew across the room?
So I closed my notes.
I went and sat down with the six, invited us to circle up, and I led an open conversation on what makes for genuine, organic, and authentic leadership - the kind that inspires our very best and nourishes everyone and everything around it.
And the truth is, I can’t say if any needles moved among them that day.
But I know I myself was gifted with renewed clarity about the real way of leadership.
—
Where are your spheres of leadership influence?
(and be sure to include yourself as one of your spheres)
What are the dozen ways that those spheres are filled with all kinds of imperfection?
And what if - instead of finding yourself repelled, raging, and resigned because of those dozen things - you walked toward them?
Flat-out folded your notes for how this thing is supposed to go and just brought a few organic ingredients to where things actually are?
And then trusted the unique potential of organic leadership to grow a truly unforgettable harvest.
Do you remember that scene in the 1989 Batman where Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) invites Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) to his dining table at Wayne Manor, and they share a meal 20 feet apart because the table is laughably long?
That’s how it felt standing at that podium with six people at the other end of the long table.
In light of the military’s definition of leadership (leadership is influence), ALL of us are leaders. All of us have a sphere of influence. It may big or small, global or local, online or in our home… or some mix of each of these. Point is: where we have influence, we are a leader.
John1:14
Compelling story and message here. Reminds me of the many times I've been searching for grandeur, and ended up in some pretty unpromising situations. But yes, inserting our best selves humbly into those circumstances is the thing - it's a Christ-like, incarnational idea. "Be the change you want to see" etc. And any nod to the 1989 Batman movie's OK by me. I like it when Bruce Wayne's working up the courage to reveal his true identity to Vicky Vale: repeating "I'm Batman" to the mirror...
As I read the first part of this, I was wondering if this was a different Bobby writing this…. And then you and Holy Spirit did what you do best …. Shine with authenticity and transparency. Thank you.