The Four Foundations Of Wise Leaders

Wisdom for one person, or in one situation, might be foolish for another. How can we genuinely know if we’re on a wise path or not in our leadership? Being in tune with our perceptual biases is one key. Fine tuning our sense of authenticity, patience, and courage equally so.

Wisdom, it seems, is inherently individualized. Leaders differ in situations, obligations, mental abilities, talents and personality types. A decision, or a value, that may be wise for one person might be a foolish choice for another. According to the University of Chicago Center for Practical Wisdom, “Leadership wisdom is the combined use of awareness, experience, and insight to set direction, empower people, ensure well-being, and guide activity to achieve lasting results.”

Perception

On many occasions, our perceptions tell us we are seeing one thing when something different is going on. During these occasions, our perceptions sit behind a veil of our beliefs about the situation or circumstances. Instead of a clear vision, we only see our projected beliefs. And yet, we often determine that what we are seeing is accurate. We’re missing the essence of the situation or circumstances.

Many leaders genuinely think that they can differentiate their settings with absolute precision. In reality, our perceptions are distorted by our projections. We see our world not as it is but through our projections.

Nothing in the world has any meaning except the meaning we give to it. It’s not what is going on but how we perceive what is going on. It’s our relationship to it that counts. To be more effective, we must consider our relationship with everyone we interact with. Our relationship to them determines how we perceive the meanings we assign to places, people, institutions and everyday events.

Wise leaders can see the big picture, knowing that everything is contextual. They observe every situation from many different angles. Avoiding simplistic black-and-white thinking allows the leader to put concerns in perspective. And, since wise leaders tend to have quiet egos that are not attached to their current views, their descriptive words change when they get new data or shift to a new perspective. Wise leaders have developed skills in managing any negative emotions they may have. Having well-developed empathy and compassion distinguishes them in personal relationships.

Authenticity

The core of authenticity is described as “being yourself.” Which self is that? As a human being, you have multiple dimensions of awareness. The self could be your emotional, mental, physical or perhaps a combination. For example, maybe one part of you is a jerk at work. Another part might be focused on mystical experiences. Who shows up more frequently?

Is your leadership style compatible with who you perceive yourself to be, or is it an imitation of someone else? Are you being pushed to act in ways that are consistent with the organizational culture? It’s not always easy being a leader at work. For example, what obstacles do you encounter that deter you from being open and vulnerable?

Deeply knowing yourself is only part of the wisdom equation. Leading from who you are may change as you deepen your self-understanding. Being authentic with what you know about yourself is only a single step. Regardless of the situation and circumstances, be open and vulnerable about who you are, allowing your freedom to extend to others. Ernst & Young conducted several studies on engagement teams globally. When employees were supported “to be fully themselves” in their work environment, the beneficial byproducts were greater client satisfaction ratings and stronger client retention.

Patience

This journey takes time to process the many awarenesses you will have. While each step builds on previous steps, this journey isn’t linear. Repeating previous steps allows you to gain richer awareness and insight. The deeper you go into your understanding of self, the more you may realize how little you know.

Wise leaders learn to be patient with the journey. Sometimes the wisdom journey requires you to do something a second, third or more times. Reflect and review the essence of your choices. Wisdom is rarely a smooth road. Mistaken turns onto the muddy paths of life become treasured because they enable leaders to grow their character.

The wisdom development process benefits us in extending compassion and empathy to our unfoldment, the growth of our organization and our team. Character development and humility are outcomes of developing patience.

Courage

One of the most difficult aspects of developing wisdom is leading through change. This is especially true when we are the object of change. Facing our resistance when it’s easier to stay in our comfort zone requires courage.

The root of the word courage is “cor,” which is Latin for “heart.” According to Brené Brown, its original meaning is “to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” Courage is about leading ourselves with empathy and compassion, which leads to personal growth and positive change.

Being courageous requires us to embrace uncertainty. With uncertainty comes risk. By increasing our awareness of our internal worlds and understanding how our awareness shapes our perceptions, we afford ourselves the prospect of taking courageous action.

Courage links to perception, authenticity and patience. Many companies have established a culture of being nice. Sometimes, a wise leader needs to openly disagree with the potential of creating internal stress. When combining courage with perception, authenticity and patience, our internal evolution includes the growth of compassion, deeper engagement, and greater personal well-being.

This article was published in Forbes, September 21, 2022