“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” -Isaac Newton
Leaders stand on a very thin dividing line…and very often the power of little things serves as the difference between maneuvering for a change and creating change that starts a movement.
A thin difference that can be derived in the divide between release and control…
Between fortitude and fatigue…energy and exhaustion.
The “Energy of Release” allows a leader to unloosen the burden of control that constricts and weighs down their leadership and their people.
or…
The “Fatigue of Control” which diminishes the capacity of the organization…as a viral mindset that eventually erodes growth and progress of the leadership and their people.
Great leaders create room…room for those they lead to learn and grow. The “energy of release” is about utilizing your leadership to open doors and create space, to create momentum…allowing others to take the reigns and catch speed and flight.
Great leaders also create access…access to their leadership, their knowledge, and their wisdom. Like a librarian opening the vaults to all within. They pour themselves out and into others…opening the doors to expanded influence and impact.
It is within “release” that leaders can unshackle the fear that may hold them, those they lead, and their organization back…unleashing the genius that resides within.
Great leaders “release” and reinforce…sustaining and supporting through avenues of open access.
Whereas, “control” serves as the culprit between a fearful and a fearless leader. “Control” is the great inhibitor to organizational capacity, growth, and achievement.
While great leaders choose to raise others up…controlling leaders have a tendency to stand on the shoulders of those they lead…pushing them down and keeping them underfoot. They “control” the pace of the organization and the flow of ideas…along with progress and next steps. They serve as the organizational bottleneck…making sure that they are the holders of the knowledge. They are the lid of the organization, for better or worse.
Unfortunately, leadership “control” is a very fatiguing and burdensome role that will wear a leader down…as well as those they lead. As “control” is elevated, access is slowly restricted.
And when leaders are inaccessible…their influence and impact slowly deteriorate. Confusion replaces clarity as trust slowly falters and eventually fails.
The organization becomes leader-centric…as they feel that nothing can be done well if they don’t do it or control it themselves. A view that not only diminishes the capacity of those they lead, it eventually wears down the leader as responsibilities mount. Pressures increase exponentially as all things hinge upon their leadership…and as all others take a hands-off, only do as your told approach to their work.
It is when a leader chooses to “release” from “control” that change occurs…in their people and in their leadership.
It is in “release” that we learn to celebrate all that is good in our people and in our leadership…
“Release” of “control” serves as an unbridled approach to leadership that brings forth all of the energy, ideas, and enthusiasm necessary to spark change…to create a movement.
DCulberhouse 