What is leading like a lighthouse? In being the lighthouse, people know where you stand, it is a place your people visit in good weather, it keeps people from the rocks in bad weather, and it is a landmark on the horizon that remains insight when people are far from the shore.
Currently, I am working with several organisations who have leaders playing laser tag. They are in a maze, dipping in and out of things, always on edge even in the quiet moments, their people are missing or lost in another part of the maze, and the overall experience for everyone is erratic. They are no longer their lighthouse-selves, and communities are fragmented.
Some leaders are moving back to being the lighthouse by working with their team in selecting three to five things to focus on for the quarter. Their team’s participation creates buy-in. These leaders are empowering their people to lead on these priorities; the leaders are involved but not interfering; they are rebuilding communities and now have a greater probability of innovating with less chaos.