leading Archives » Blessing Mpofu

The Rallying Point

Early in the movie, Saving Private Ryan, is a moment when soldiers attempt to beach at Normandy. Many soldiers take a bullet and don’t make it to shore. Dead in the water. The living soldiers are taking heavy fire. Then there’s the moment, a soldier asks John H, Miller (played by Tom Hanks), “What should we do now?” Miller responds by saying they should get off the beach.

The soldier then asks, “What’s the rallying point?” and Miller (/Hanks) answers, “Anywhere but here!” There are many leadership lessons in that scene, but I’d like to focus on the rallying point.

Need For A Healthy Cynicism Of Leadership

I wrote about what to do when those you look up to let you down a while ago. One of the most obvious things in that post hides in plain sight. In the title of the post. Do you see it? The thing I’m talking about is the fact that leaders or heroes can let you down. That you, as a leader are fallible and have the capacity to fail. That you can let people down. I’m wondering if we now need for a healthy dose of cynicism in leadership.

Changing Your Mind As A Virtue

“Changing mind as a virtue” is something I don’t remember ever hearing. People have spoken about it as their own prerogative. I’ve mostly come across a changing of one’s mind talked about as a weakness. A lack of backbone and captivity to whim. Changing your mind as a virtue is terribly undermined. Not doing so can be the fruit of pride and not a reflection of strength and wisdom.

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Redefining Leadership

I’d shied away from continually defining or, should I say, redefining leadership? After all, who am I to challenge the big voices in history and present culture? Then again, why shouldn’t I be doing that? Why shouldn’t you be doing that? Redefining leadership is something that we all need to be doing. If we continue to revisit technology and culture, why can’t leadership be included in the mix?

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Two Luxuries Leaders Can Never Have

The privilege of leading is not without its challenges. Leadership is a mantle that can weigh heavy and in some instances, even crush those who bear it. The thing is, leaders are held to higher standards. You can’t be a leader without being some things or expecting certain focus on you. There are luxuries leaders can never have.

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