We said the direction of real leadership is always “towards”. We also said it must be long-term-oriented. Let’s check out its other essential characteristics as well as new and further points of interest.
A real and genuine leadership is like a watercourse. Water flows free in it. Under normal conditions, having established a solid ground, it can linger on indefinitely.
There may be cases when leadership is conditioned by external events, which require an intervention of both readjustment and balance. Once again, like a river that flows until an external factor threatens its balance.
It is therefore necessary and useful to take action as soon as possible. A scrupulous leadership deals with whatever happens within its range but also with the consequences in its near fields, with the interest to bring benefits, safety and stability.
In such cases, there are two ways to proceed: to operate and correct what the event changed in the normal course of things (immediately reacting to the events) or act in anticipation of a bigger event.
In the first case, damages will be much worse when the emergency re-occurs. The weakening of the structure will end up causing new damages in new points of friction, causing bigger consequences – like a patched-up river bank which concentrates the pressure of the water in other points, causing more points to break.
When an extraordinary event occurs, if the watercourse hasn’t been properly maintained, the risk of flood becomes certain.
A leadership that duly considers the needs of those who act within its boundaries – insuring a tranquillity of action, channelling and merging the external contributions and setting the proper conditions of effectiveness – is bound to create positive effects and consequences. Just like the maintenance of a river: water, the forward flowing, tributaries, river banks and embankment to guarantee the stability of the flow.
Proceeding and acting accordingly, positive consequences will be experienced in the long run. But there’s more: it will be possible to react profitably to most of the external events.
When, on the other hand, the needs of the people who act are not considered – on the contrary, leadership aims to take advantage of the incidental situation to the maximum, perhaps in sight of an accidental profit – the consequences are going to be very hard. Moreover, they will affect a much longer time than that which caused them.
If leadership has a strong foundation, with time it will deepen and expand its effects, bringing positive consequences even in the areas around it.
Going on with the example of the river, when its watercourse is well secured, the depth of the river increase with time. Not only that: it sometimes causes changes in the surrounding landscape, expanding its course and allowing the development of new scenarios.
Last nut not least, all well-oriented leaderships always meet in bigger projects, transforming and enriching them. Just like all rivers, which merge their water with the sea one.
