Soft Power – Bold And Courageous

In many parts of world, these current times are causing people to reassess what is true for them both personally and collectively, what is important, and how they are going to navigate these unprecedented events.

Last month I wrote about shocks and shifts. This is certainly occurring right now in the Eastern states of Australia as fire ravages unabated in drought stricken areas. 1,000,000 hectares to date have been destroyed, 150 homes lost, 3 people killed and 30 more seriously injured – that is just in NSW – not in Queensland. Not to mention 350 koala’s – one of our National icons- from a native reserve population of 600.

If ever there was a need for bold and courageous, even conscious leadership, it is now.
New Zealand’s PM, Jacinda Ardern is one such leader who is not afraid to step forward and make those tough decisions. In achieving the passing in parliament of the Zero Carbon Bill last week she stated:

“New Zealand will not be a ‘slow’ follower. Let it be said that we were on the right side of history”.

Indeed! Without a healthy sustainable environment, no country will have an economy.

As PM Ardern said, “the impact of an unhealthy environment is seeing a dramatic increase of chronic illnesses, resulting in skyrocketing health costs for individuals, health practitioners and governments”.

Food production will also be impacted, which will increase cost of living for all, especially for those who cannot afford it. An even bigger threat is the lack of water. Water that is clean, unpolluted and drinkable. There is a global shortage, and the way we farm and grow food needs to be reconsidered. How can it be more sustainable.

Without question, what we need in these times of unprecedented change are bold courageous leaders. Those who are not afraid to take the lead, to set a path for the longer-term, the future, and not just the short-term and more immediate gratification of addressing shareholder expectations, profits and appeasing certain lobby groups to get elected or re-elected – which is prevalent in many western countries.

Forward thinking leaders who are able to engage with their people, with their community and with society at large. These leaders step forward to show they way. They challenge your current thinking.

These shocks will deepen and be more prevalent, if we continue with our inaction. Thank goodness for the young people who are indeed, taking a stand. For they have nothing to lose except a future if nothing is done.

Our belief in “climate change” becomes irrelevant when we cannot put food on the table, when we cannot get from A to B due to disastrous events such as fire, super typhoons, floods, earthquakes.

Maybe it is time to ‘let the light in’. How we open to that is our choice but let us “find that crack to let the light” in as Leonard Cohen said.

It is important to realise there are also opportunities which come with any challenge resulting from navigating uncharted territory. New ways of looking at what we can do differently, individually and collectively.

Be a rebel with a cause – such as Greta Thunberg and her mission around climate change, taking on the powerful just as the people in Santiago are as a result of ineffective economic policies. As I said last month, I do not condone violence.I do, however, believe in soft power – of having the audacity of belief that there is another way – a better way. We need to step forward and start having meaningful dialogue, taking action to be heard and most importantly, to listen to the voices.

You can’t wake up and stay asleep. Especially when moving into uncharted territory. It is important to look at how we ‘step forward’.

Do we have the courage to cross the threshold into the unknown and trust that we have the resilience, resources, knowledge and mastery to transform these changes into leverage for something greater, and more radical than we may have done previously?

Are we able to move to a more creative way of being? A new way of tapping into our respective and collective creative mode to address these challenges.

These times of unprecedented change, have seen new leaders arise, tap into their capacity to access radically new ways of thinking, and respond differently. They are owning their ‘strong scaffolding’. The farmers in mid and northern NSW are demonstrating just that. It is beyond resilience – they will go through the ‘remembering, restoring’ and then ‘re-storying’ as they know they have to. For when everything is lost, what choice do they have? They know things need to change.

“Re-storying’ starts with a deep sense of inner resolve!

Starting with dialogue and one that engages others, with a deeper belief in something bigger and greater than themselves which will last longer than the next 3 months. This has the possibility to shape a different future.

It is time to find our Truth with a capital T, and have the audacity of belief.

I was thrilled to see South Africa win the Rugby World Cup, and to hear Siya Kolisi, say the win was “for the country, not just the team.” A team of five different languages spoken, who came together over 19 weeks as ‘one’ and held onto that dream – to make a difference for their country. They had the audacity of belief and it showed in how they stood up individually and collectively as a team.

How do we want to be remembered?

Standing on the sidelines no longer seems an option. It requires deep listening and deep respect for our ‘self’ and others. This is soft power – knowing who we are and what we stand for.

I worked with a client this week, who has moved across continents, working in diverse cultures and adjusting to a different way of engaging his various stakeholders, clients, team and partners. His challenge was one of reclaiming his ‘soft power’ and taking others on the journey – not imposing his past successes on them. Helping him to remember his successes, restoring them for new environments and ‘re-storying’ the process, so it made meaning in the current environment. Shifting from “doing” to “being” allowed him to slow down and be with people, to hear what was their real issue required a shift of ‘awareness’. The behavioural shift was slowing down to really be with the person and to see it as a strength and not a weakness. He stopped filling the silence!

Where are you operating from ‘soft power’?
How are you being bold and courageous?
How will you share your story?

We journey into the unknown to carry our dreams forward. We share the trail with those who have gone before and all who will follow. We are never truly alone.

Stand Tall on your trail.