Shaking Our Heads at the Top—Finding Hope in the Leaders Who are Still Doing It Right

Photo by Gursimrat Ganda on Unsplash

By Dr. Randall P. White

I’m SMDH constantly these days. And if you’re not “shaking your damn head,” you must have found a way to tune out the global news. Where is decorum? Where is decency? Where is the reassuring voice of democratic representative authority?

When those at the top flout every rule of sound leadership daily, and manage to compliment themselves for it, boast about it, and declare victory in dousing the fires that they started, everybody who cares about their organization (or nation) feels cheated, abused, conned, and confused.

But I’m also a psychologist and know that we have to work around the conflagrations beyond our reach. And believe it or not, I find reassurance in the healthy organizations where I teach, consult, and coach.

Last year two colleagues and I contributed to the forthcoming book, The Changing Leadership Landscape1. Our chapter is based primarily on interviews with a number of leadership academics, practitioners, and an international business journalist.

What we found is the academy and the corporations it serves are still invested in preparing leaders who value constant learning, collaboration, listening, and self-awareness. Some facets like diversity, while under attack, are still observed at business schools by students, teachers, and human resources executives. And the importance of continuing education is folded into corporate mission statements.

It’s the better part of a century, but corporations in concert with universities and independent consultancy have indoctrinated (yes, that’s a bad word to some) executives to care about their behavior and the people they lead.

Sure, the motive has always been for executives (and consultants) to make money, but few can deny that business leadership is setting a better example than many of our political leaders at this moment.

Still, when my neck is sore from shaking my head in disbelief and despondency, I look forward to spending time among the “learning leaders” who are, right now, holding us together as a society.

Reference

*The Changing Leadership Landscape: New Challenges, New Expectations, New Actions, edited by Sheri L. Feinzig and Mariangela Battista for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Our chapter by Ed Barrows, Sandy Shullman, and myself is titled “The Direction and Future of Executive Education: Building the Plane While Flying.”

Dr. Randall P. White is is a psychologist, leadership professor, executive coach, and author who has spent more than 40 years in the field of leadership development. He teaches in international business schools, advises global corporations, and has held leadership roles within the American Psychological Association.