VIM Executive Coaching would one day, like to give out an award for “eye rolling,” the act of dismissing and separation that says, “How could you be so naïve or foolish or totally wrong?”
We see a lot of eye rolling when the argument turns inter-generational, with overtones of OK Boomer! or Clueless Millennial or expletives talking of Gen-X “cynicism” and Gen-Z “coddling” often in the crosshairs of both. These eye-rolling and vein popping arguments and put-downs (we are being gentle and kind in terms of the jargon all groups use to describe the older or younger) really turn ugly when asked: “Which generation makes the best executive leaders?”
The free-for-all of indignation
Perhaps it is time to dwell on a few truths in regard to leadership. The first should be an obvious and frankly, isn’t. Executive leadership is a learned skill; there is no gene for it and no magic lightning bolt or ancient elixir imparts it. It isn’t a matter of “You got or you don’t.” It is available to most anyone and everyone.
Second, when an executive is totally convinced that they are natural born leaders and (by a kind of divine appointment) proclaim their right to such arrogance, they are most often lacking in the very quality they use in their bluster as truth.
Third, there is no leadership type; it isn’t age, or gender or race-based or spiritually-based. The loudest voice, the biggest bullies, the strutters and talkers may grab the helm for a while, but invariably, the ship is steered off course, or worse: they blame others for their obvious mistakes.
Fourth, leaders aren’t the automatic products of New England Ivy League colleges, or military academies or political forums or a particular body of knowledge.
Fifth, no book or podcast or website or executive retreat will robotically ensure that an executive leader will emerge from the swamp of confusion and misconceptions.
All of this “isn’t” stuff is simply distilled truth from the many years that VIM Executive Coaching has helped executives nurture what was always there. Sometimes it was quite near the surface, other times it was deeper down, but rest assured it was there.
Honesty, tears and laughter
The best executive leaders can be none of the above, bits and pieces of the above or a willingness to examine all of the above. In honesty (would there be any other way to view this?), nothing magical produces leaders; no one is born claiming and keeping the mantle of leadership; no leader has a natural look or belief. Study after study shows the fallacy that an organization – by right or certification or the placement of bejeweled crowns produces the best leaders and finally, there is no good-book or treasured documents or “7-Keys to –” or magic course that will clear all confusion and show anyone the one way.
Executive leadership starts and ends with the executive truly knowing self.
“That’s it?”
Yes, that is it. However, to reach that level of authenticity and self-compassion; to become aware and listen rather than yammer; to get rid of the baggage of egotism and to serve, requires work.
Have you ever wondered why huge and powerful athletes will listen to a short, underweight coach? It is because the coach can help them reach a goal; to attain an end-result they could not do themselves; to allow someone to be their mentor and guide. We might offer similar examples of movie directors bringing out incredible performances of an actor; a philharmonic conductor assembling an orchestra of strangers and producing a classic recording.
But in those processes and in one-hundred others we are certain you can imagine, the leader has no particular age or generation, but has become a leader through self-examination, guidance, hard work and often tears and laughter.
Mindfulness only requires that we are, but fully, authentically, compassionately and willing to sacrifice any inflated sense of self for the benefit of the team. NO generation can claim the best leaders, but all generations have produced them.