Ornamental Leadership That Shines with Value
Ornamental leadership shines with grace, beauty, and luster. How is your leadership style like an ornament that shines with value?
My wife completed another masterful job of adorning our Christmas tree with beautiful ornaments. I was giving her kudos when I saw an ornament with our son’s name. This brought back floods of memories. I immediately started looking for the one with our daughter’s name. Found it! And the smile plastered on my face got even wider. Wow!
Such fond memories from a couple of decades ago! Decades? Yup. We’ve had these ornaments for over twenty years. We cherish them. They are beautiful to us. They always add value when hung on our tree. These are memorable and priceless compared to the glossier and glitzier but fake and fragile ornaments. This made me reflect on my leadership style. Am I practicing the ornamental leadership that is rich, real, and cherished? Am I practicing ornamental leadership that shines with value?
What are ornaments? They are useful accessories. Something that lends grace, beauty, or festivity; one whose virtues or graces add luster to a place or society (Merriam-Webster). Google shares another perspective. It tells us that an ornament is “a thing used to make something look more attractive but usually have no practical purpose; especially a small object such as a figurine.” Which ornament definition best represents your leadership style? One of attraction but no practical value? Or one to be cherished while adding grace, beauty, and luster?
Leadership that shines with Grace, Beauty, and Luster
We should develop a leadership style that adds value (beauty), and empowerment (grace), and builds healthy organizational cultures (luster) wherever we are. We should demonstrate ornamental leadership that shines with value. How?
- Be an authentic leader. The value of my cherished ornaments comes from authentic memories. They were not fake trinkets. Authenticity coupled with compassion and empathy will build memories in those you influence for a lifetime.
- Be a servant leader. The greatest job of a leader is to nurture, develop and empower future leaders. Provide grace by empowering those you influence to be better leaders.
- Be a Christ-centered leader. Exemplify the qualities of a Christ-centered leader who leads from the heart, to develop a healthy culture in your organization. This is where, among other characteristics, diversity is celebrated, collaboration valued, leadership is shared, and innovation encouraged.
- Be a memorable leader. Our most memorable leaders are the ones we admire and aspire to be. No matter how much time passes, thoughts of them still bring back great memories. Be intentional about making positive connections and inspiring others today.
- Be a genuine leader. Let our luster shine from within versus the shiny ornaments that are glossy and glitzy but fake and fragile. We should lead our organizations to be better people delivering greater results than they could ever imagine. Genuine leadership is not about power. It’s about empowering others to do and be more.
Ornamental leadership that shines with grace, beauty, and luster represents the spirit of giving, brings peace, and spreads love. That is value.
Empowered Leader Reflection
How is your leadership style like an ornament that shines with value?
