Leadership As Art
by Charlotte Roberts

This is the fifth in a series of articles revolving around the topics that will be presented at the 15th Annual Leadership Summit scheduled for September 27-29, 2007 at the Union League Club of Chicago in Chicago, IL.  The program entitled, 'The Art and Practice of Leadership in Local Government’ includes underlying themes on creativity and the inner nature of leadership. 

Leadership is a discipline worthy of a life-long study and practice. Unfortunately, we have seen people in leadership positions who do not seem to have a plan for developing their personal skills and capacity for leading. And, we have also seen people in leadership positions whom we admired because of their commitment to becoming better and more effective at their work. These individuals practice leadership as a personal calling and know they are required by destiny to hone their talents, skills and capacity for leading and to allow themselves to be used up for a grander purpose unique to each leader.

One way of drawing leadership is to delineate the science from the art of leading, recognizing their symbiotic connection. The concept of science usually conjures up measurements, processes, objectivity, intellect, and observation and experimentation. Science is careful and painstakingly patient. These elements of science are in the discipline of leadership as well.

A leader needs to measure the performance of the organization, provide a strategic plan for achieving concrete goals, and design exciting experiments or projects to drive toward healthy communities. Leaders need to know how to budget annually as well as project financial needs for the next decade. The NLC Leadership Training Institute has offered a wide variety of courses to build your capability within the science of leadership.

The art of leadership is different, of course, and is just as essential to the person who feels called to lead a team, department or community. The art of leadership employs all the senses to know what is really going on, what forces are dominating, and what wants to happen. Our sense-abilities allow us to “see” more than is visible, “feel” more than is palpable, “hear” more than is audible, even “know” more than is rational. Art is intuitive, irreverent, messy and bold.

Art incorporates personal comprehension and exciting depiction of “realities” such as a landscape or portrait and “states of mind” such as love, awe, or anguish. Art attempts to capture the spirit of a particular reality or state of mind and exhaust the sensibilities of the artist to create a fulfilling experience for the viewer or listener or taster.  Art initiates “the integration of cultural values and explores with openness and sensitivity the importance of our emotional lives and the riches that await us in receiving affective transmissions from across great gulfs of space and time,” wrote J. Carter Brown, former director of our National Gallery of Art. Art connects people emotionally and spiritually.

In the art of leadership, a leader similarly exercises the sensitive balance between identifying with the observable outward world, engaging with the ethereal inward world and employing self to better shape the situation. Leaders give voice to the desires of the community. They sense the different realities of their constituents. Leaders use the passion from their own calling to claim their place in history for making a difference. And when that work is done, artful leaders know to step aside and hand the brushes, strings, and batons to the next generation of leaders.

Building and leading a sustainable community for all its inhabitants is a noble, righteous and artistic pursuit. Practically how would you do it? You won’t balance the budget with a loving state of mind; you need science. And you won’t navigate a political storm with a map and sextant; you need art. With the art of leadership, you will illuminate the possibilities of healthy community with your words, engage constituents with your compassion, and integrate different points of view with your vision.

“To capture that certain moment when something living is in fine balance with natural forces is one of the most satisfying aspects of art,” said Galen Rowell, an illustrious photographer.

In your leadership role, can you balance your living, lively community with the natural forces around it and co-create something beautiful and sustainable for current and future citizens?

Join us for an exciting experience in Chicago.  Allow your sense-abilities to be charged up, revitalized and well equipped for your next leadership challenge! 

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Charlotte Roberts is an executive consultant, trainer, speaker and co-author of two leadership books entitled, “The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook” and “The Dance of Change” with Peter Senge and others.  Her work focuses on leadership, change, vision and learning as organizational competencies.  She is a native of North Carolina and serves on the Board of Trustees of Guilford College and co-chairs the Board of Visitors of UNC-Greensboro. Learning is her passion, personally and professionally.

The annual Leadership Summit is NLC’s premiere leadership development program for local officials.  Designed as a leadership retreat, the Summit provides personal leadership development that is focused on community perspectives.  For more information, contact the Leadership Training Institute at (202) 626-3127 or visit the NLC website at www.nlc.org