Dimensional Leadership
Leadership is a subject that has been analyzed, scrutinized and revitalized by many over the last 10 years or so. Paradigms have shifted, work forces have changed and those who lead them have had to adjust accordingly. Numerous scholars, experienced practitioners and leaders themselves have written, spoken rhetorically and shouted from the roof-tops that leaders must lead well. Followers who have suffered at the hands of bad leaders and followers who have thrived at the feet of skilled leaders are both qualified to explain the difference betwixt the two.
Leadership does not find itself in an autonomous position. It is not created nor invented in a vacuum or on the fly. Leadership takes all we have every time out. The leadership that can provide a positive in the midst of the negative finds itself being effective in a dimensional way. Bad weather, bad decisions and bad outcomes may be out of our control but we can still do something good even in the midst of the bad. We can share a thought, present a hypothesis, create an antithesis and we can hope for the best. We have been blessed with the mental faculties and the cognitive abilities to make it so.
My grandmother used to say, ‘‘Before you do something stupid, take a minute and think it over.” I still do. In the leadership position, we must pause in our preparation. Planning says we have to be ready for any contingency, situation, climate, anywhere. We must plan. We must prepare. To do neither is giving way to the catastrophic. To do both is to touch the linear plane of dimensional leadership. In that framework, we bring to bear the best we can in the moment and morale climbs another rung higher on the ladder. Even though the naysayer’s and the boisterous skeptics weigh in with opinions and strong felt words, the dimensional leader understands the voices that are heard. That leader can then appropriate a tenable response, with a resolute action plan, with the requisite steps that create the logic. The followers, who may actually be quite reasonable, though not in agreement, may as a matter of fact, ‘‘see the logic.” The dimensional leader has the gifted ability and the learned skill set, to paint the picture.
What is portrayed on the canvas is a scene that says to all within earshot, ‘‘the leader actually knows what to do.” What a great feeling in the ranks and in the head shed, when the same sheet of music is in the hands of all the players. As the concert begins harmony and melody flow sweetly together and the mission gets accomplished, morale stabilizes and people are optimistic. I strongly recommend dimensional leadership. It can work and with God’s help, it will be a blessing.
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