The Role of Clarity for Effective Leadership
(L) Bayard Rustin, photographer, Warren K. Leffler and (R) Actor Coleman Domingo
In a session last week with one of my leadership clients, he expressed ongoing frustration regarding the lack of decision-making, accountability, and responsibility, as well as the silo mentality, that prevented projects from been completed. He experienced these challenges as a part of the company culture that were not being addressed. When he recently brought these issues to his leadership, they heartily agreed with his assessment and suggested that he reinstitute a data council that was previously established to monitor efficiencies and productivity. Surprised by their response, my client was hesitant as to whether he could put such a council in place and positively impact the collaborative work of the teams. His hesitation was based on anxiety because “he didn't see it” and he was concerned about getting buy in. I'll come back to my client shortly.
At a recent NeuroLeadership Institute (NLI) webinar focused on the challenges facing leadership development as changes in organizational needs require an evolution in leadership skills. CEO, David Rock and Global Head of Culture and Leadership, Matt Summer laid out a framework to reshape leadership to be more effective:
Have a clear set of principles as your true north and for consensus of self-correction
Build habits to strengthen soft skills
Implement systems to support said principles and habits
To co-create a collaborative environment and source solutions, Rock says that leadership now calls for even more empathy and more clarity. NLI says that the creation of a “beautiful blueprint,” as in architecture, would map out the strategies and generate a high fluency for engagement.
Organizing Excellence
This brings me to the recent release of Rustin from Barack and Michelle Obama's film production company Higher Ground. The film, brilliantly directed by George C Wolfe, tells the story of Bayard Rustin, portrayed superbly by Colman Domingo, Rustin envisioned and skillfully organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The largest nonviolent protest in American history, the March was where Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream” speech and was the catalyst for the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
As the creator and organizer of the March, which brought 250,000 people to Washington, D.C., Bayard Rustin has served as inspiration for former President Obama and multitudes of social justice activists and organizers around the world. Clarity, an essential leadership skill, was strikingly evident as depicted by Rustin’s character in the film:
Rustin’s unwavering, crystal clarity of purpose fed the high energy that kept workers inspired in a tightly cramped office for up to sixteen hours a day for the seven weeks it took to achieve success.
Rustin’s clarity of structure, roles, and functions strengthened the cohesiveness that brought all the elements together—speakers, transportation, food and water, latrines, unions, celebrities, security, and more—ensuring the collaborative synergy of his team.
Rustin’s clarity of vision held him steadfast through several challenges—whether internal or external—he was not deterred.
And finally, it was Rustin’s clarity of his own worth and capabilities that grounded his confidence and enabled a strong stance to face his naysayers.
As a side note, from the opening scene, the film magnificently uses jazz, by Branford Marsalis, like another character to emphasize the tone of a scene, the cadence of a conversation, and the choreography of character movement.
Back to my client. He felt anxious and uncomfortable about the task at hand. He had put up a roadblock by telling himself that he couldn’t see it (creating the council), which essentially meant he couldn’t see himself executing what his director had suggested as a pathway to handle the issues he had brought to them. Interestingly, before he made the statement of being anxious, he had detailed steps he could take regarding the council. When I pointed that out, he then acknowledged that he had laid out what he thought he couldn’t see. That was his first step towards clarity and hopefully a successful outcome.
When clarity is one of the principles that distinguishes our north star, it provides a luminous beacon of empowerment for ourselves and others. Thank you, Bayard Rustin, we honor your unsung leadership.
