Synthesis: Blend Multiple Inner Skills
into Leadership Intelligence
Question:
How can I integrate the knowledge gained by using my different leadership skills into a coherent, unified leadership intelligence?
Developing Leadership Intelligence:
You can blend and synthesize the inner skills in the VBL system into leadership intelligence. The resulting synthesis is the result of expanded thinking that comes from adopting multiple perspectives of the VBL inner skills, and allowing them to blend into a larger, more-complete concept that forms a new understanding of self, others and the organization. This is especially important regarding challenging or painful situations.
To blend the information from your expanded thinking into a coherent synthesis, pause, reflect, and give your mind a suggestion such as this; "Now that I have activated my thinking from many different perspectives, allow me to blend these perspectives and concepts into a deep understanding that leads to leadership intelligence, wisdom and balanced, effective action."
Here is a story from an article I wrote to provide an example of leadership intelligence:
Once upon a time there was a 19th century French military officer who confronted people rioting in the town square. They were violently protesting because of persistent food shortages.
The officer rode into the town square on his magnificent horse, and he directed his well-armed troops to encircle the crowd. Once they were in position, he gave the command to raise rifles and take aim. Then, raising his arm to get ready for the "fire at will" command, the crowd grew silent. He then addressed the now-quiet rioters saying, "Tomorrow at this time there will be a meeting with provincial officials to peacefully discuss food shortages. I command all of the good, law-abiding citizens to leave the town square so that we can fire upon the criminals who are rioting. I'll give those of you who are good citizens a brief period of time to leave before we fire".
After making those comments, the entire crowd left the area. No shots were fired. No massacre ensued.
To read the rest of the article, go to "Playing" with VBL.
Planning Effective Leadership Behaviors and Projecting Values into Action
Once you feel that you have grasped the wholeness of the situation and you have developed sufficient leadership intelligence to function well in the situation, it is time to do these things: develop a specific plan for action from your list of leadership behaviors to be used in appropriate situations, rehearse that plan, and then perform that planned behaviors while projecting your positive values into action. The idea is to make sure that your actions are consistent with positive, healthy values and are effective in fulfilling the values of all concerned.