“Individually and Together” — three words I heard this weekend from Will.i.am being interviewed as he fondly remembered the journey of success for his group The Black Eyed Peas. Yes, I am over 40 and a fan of the Black Eyed Peas! As a writer, sometimes you hear a group of words in one context and your mind instantly relays them to another and you know that somehow you must capture that connection on the page. For me, these three words hold the keys to success in the 21st Century for any business, large or small, local or multi-national. When I was growing up, if a member of a band did something on his or her own, it was basically viewed as defecting. Today, the Black Eyed Peas show us that band members doing their own thing and great stuff with the group is actually great for business. Maybe the Cold War really is over.
How does one reconcile the dichotomy between a world increasingly focused on the individual and simultaneously asking its citizens to work in greater collaboration for the greater good? The problem lies in seeing the two forces as a mutually exclusive. The minute we begin to see them as more alike than unalike we begin to tap into their power. By individually pronouncing ones passions and desires and focusing on what really drives you forward, you are more able to contribute to joint tasks in a selfless manner. It is difficult for many of us to see this because society dictated for much of the last century that you are either out for yourself or you are for the good of others, and never the two shall meet. The missing link is the belief that somehow left to our own devices, we are pre-programmed for choices and behaviors that are unsuitable and against what is good in this world. Based on my experience, this could not be further from the truth.
Leaders today are challenged with how to allow maximum individualism while maintaining a strong thread of common vision between every person in an organization. It’s a bit like the challenge that search engine companies are facing today: how to put a context around what any individual is searching for (based on their individual profile) such that they find exactly what they are seeking and perhaps something even better that they didn’t know existed . . . all the while maintaining some semblance of privacy. When the figure it out, it will be a game changer.
It’s about giving employees back their power of creativity, permission to fail in search of excellence, and the respect that every person on the planet deserves regardless of their role. It’s about leadership with less ego and more personal confidence creating the skills necessary to embrace and lead any group of individuals to their highest potential. It’s about tapping into the personal energy of every member of an organization such that the energy of the group expands beyond the sum of its parts.
In another part of the same interview, Will.i.am spoke of inspiration, indicating that when it calls, you don’t hang up . . . you give it directions to your house. Unfortunately, most of us hang up on inspirational thoughts and chalk it up to another wrong number from Mr. Impossible Dream. When, in reality such inspiration can at any moment become a pivotal point in our lives leading us to create a life full of impossible dreams that come true every day. It’s a mindset that I have been aware of in my own life for sometime now and have slowly been shifting toward, and I will tell you that its power is immeasurable.
So, what does it really take to be a successful 21st century leader that can relate to each individual and then relate them all to each other? It takes courage to love who you are, to love who everyone else is (regardless of where they are in life), to believe your team can connect the un-connectible dots, and the sincerity and vision to bring everyone together. It takes the courage to know when to go for it and when to do more research. It requires a willingness to take personal risk by really putting yourself out there.
Be the energy . . .
