We're going where?
The best guide for any journey is one who has made the journey him- or herself—perhaps multiple times—and thus knows something about the terrain, the climate, the beauties, dangers and challenges present at each point along the way. (p. 87)
Why are TED talks often so compelling?
The simple answer could be that these new ideas and insights are somehow articulated in a manner we have not heard before. But might each 18 minute talk be drawing our attention time and again because as we are experiencing some thing greater going on?
We see in the presenters, individuals who have wrestled over ideas and concepts in a manner that not only allowed them to provide some sort of unique insight to us; but they, themselves have been transformed by the idea after the years of struggle.
Their arguments are compelling, even if we don't fully understand the complexities in full. I had a friend once give me a piece of advice that I doubt I'll ever forget:
'Don't implement anything you learn for a year'
We have seen leaders and friends (or if we're feeling honest today, ourselves) who have gone off to a conference and immediately want to impart the knowledge they have just acquired - often with varying success.
We know and feel the difference of this and the TED talk presenter. There is some thing in the struggle. This is what my friend was tapping into, that in our haste (and good intention) leaders attempt to give vision and direction to some thing they themselves have not fully explored or understood.
Herni Nouwen writes:
The great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there. (p. 87)
We live in a culture that prides itself on vision and direction. We desire these qualities in our leaders. We desire our pastors to have courage in dealing with the complexities of life they encounter in their congregation. Rarely do we allow our leaders and pastors to be vulnerable enough to take the path slowly.
But instead we rush.
And we often fail.
Ruth Barton says:
It is a sobering thing to ask ourselves this question: Have I learned enough about how to wait on God in my own life to be able to call others to wait when that is what’s truly needed? Have I done enough spiritual journeying to lead people on this part of their journey? (p. 98)
Do you have the courage to go there?
Do you have the grace to allow a leader to do the same?
May we be a people who journey together, so that regardless of where we are at - we are doing the hard work of wrestling through the complexities of life as one. Allowing ourselves to be transformed so that we might transform.
*Unless otherwise noted, the book that is referenced in these posts is from Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Barton.