Move Like a King?

Move like a King, not like a pawn. 

I love having conversations with other leaders. I learn and develop ideas through conversation and it’s also a privilege to be inspired by fellow deep thinkers.

Over the last two weeks two different leaders have brought up this quote. It’s powerful and coming from strong, intelligent men, I knew this would be important. I have a lot of respect for both of the leaders; Kings in their own right in very different fields and highly respected by many people;  but something didn’t land quite right for me.

With a little reflection time and a catch up conversation I was able to name it. So, my reply, with respect was: 

I don’t need to move like a king, because I am a queen, and queens move differently.

I should make it clear that whilst I have played chess a little and I’m not accomplished in the game, I do know that the queen can move with more flexibility than all other pieces and holds a lot of power and influence.

I don’t believe these differences should be viewed as any better or worse, simply as different. There can be an appreciation of the value that the differences bring to a team, a partnership or, indeed a chess game without reducing the value of others. 

When I make decisions about my companies; conversations with leadership teams, choosing clients that align to CHMLN values, developing company processes and networking with other great leaders, I am being intentional, but maybe not familiar. It’s unlikely I am following patterns that are standard and so could be perceived to be more ‘pawn’ than ‘king’.

This is ok, I am happy that I move differently. I am in a privileged position of decision-maker in my companies; this is not true for all leaders.

I’ve been influenced over the years by great leaders, and those that have led in ways that I felt harmed the purpose or people within an organisation. These different leaders did what they thought right based on the context, environment and organisations they were leading. In turn, I have observed, been trained, acted, reflected and changed how I have led. The many mistakes I have made along the way (unlike a chess piece, I am human), have been opportunities to keep doing better.

For evolution, it’s absolutely right I shed some of the old ways and keep asking – how should I lead in a way that is right for now? It is also right that I respect those that want to move in their way. After all, a King and Queen working together will hold a power, influence and importance that an individual alone can not achieve.

Differences in Leadership:

So, what does this mean for leadership generally?

Well, firstly I think we could check our own beliefs about what we see leadership as. Our own beliefs on what a leader should look like, how they behave, move, sound and act will impact how we behave and what we expect to see.

Our beliefs may be restricting how we view others and ourselves. They may be stopping us leading in ways that are real and authentic for our best way of leading and the environment we are in.

Our beliefs may be prohibiting us from encouraging new leaders to step up and learn to lead in a new way. If you have a future leader on your team that does not fit your belief, you may be overlooking potential talent for your organisation because they work in a way that challenges what you think you know.

Our beliefs about tradition and previous ways of leading may stop us from recognising the value of more experienced leaders; the previous learning and expertise they have holds a wisdom that comes from years of practice and should be valued.

So, here are some questions to leave you pondering, as leaders and future leaders:

• Do I need to ‘unlearn’ some of the patterns and behaviours I’ve learned from others that are restricting me?
• How can I respectfully communicate that my leadership may look and sound different, and that’s ok. It’s evolving for the environment it is leading.
• Does the way I lead work for me and the people I lead now?
• How can the mentor leaders be valued and connect with new leaders to ensure organisational learning is harnessed and evolution is intentional?

So, absolutely move like a King if that suits you and your organisations. If not, then here’s my invitation to start to learn to move like a Queen, or a Rook. Or, if you feel it’s needed, consider walking away from the chess table and create your own game. 

Whatever you decide to do, consider how you can do it with respect – for yourself and others.