Sometimes I pretend that I am the author of the English dictionary and ask myself questions like if I had to invent a substitute for a particular word, what would it be? Today’s games toyed with the word leadership. After reviewing every value and conviction I hold about the concept, I concluded that my substitute for leadership would be essenceship. So, no! You are not dumb for being a little confused by the title of this post.
As I sat contemplating my substitute word, my niece walked in from school and asked me what I was doing slouched up and all alone at home.
I have been abandoned on my own by everyone I know, I joked.
I know right? she replied. You always say that.
Really? I thought to myself. Oh well!
I am working on my blog, I said as she ran over to take a look at my computer monitor. Seeing the photo above, she immediately remarked I have seen this picture before. Was that a result of just make up, computer software or something else?
What do you mean? I asked pretending not to get the point she is trying to make.
She laughed, shrugged and walked away as my pondering mind reminisced on the implications of her rather mindless comment. How many leaders are out there working very hard to project an image while everyone around them is busy dissecting every layer of pretense just like my little niece did over two years ago when my graphics designer first returned this image to me?
I was immediately reminded of the phrase that first led to my new word coinage. While revising a leader development curriculum I developed about six years ago for training members of my team, I had included this sentence in the introduction – This curriculum will elaborate on the concept of leadership as who you are, identifying the essence of who the leader is as the foundation for effective leadership – before going on to define authentic leadership.
Although I said something like fine girl na fine girl (translation: I am simply pretty) in reply to my niece’s question, she and I both knew that the face on that flyer, though mine, was manipulated to cover all flaws and blemishes (thank God for computer software). She was not fooled though. It didn’t matter how hard the designer had worked to give my skin that flawless finish. In her mind, her aunty’s face was more like the photo to the right (#nofilters). As I was wrapping up my thoughts, I called her back into the living room and asked her – so, what do you think is wrong with this picture of me?
After a few beating-about-the-bush responses that went from nothing to nothing, she finally replied your features are different. In fact, they are not real. For example, look at those eyebrows. They are too defined to be yours. And then I asked, how do you know that?
After a few giggles she replied can I not see? No one needs to tell me that. I can see you.
That about sums my reasons for coining the word essenceship as today’s substitute for leadership. Whenever you are trying to put up appearances in the different posts of responsibility you have, those for whom you are doing it can see right through you. They see you. They know you. And they can tell that whatever you are busy projecting is just that – some vain projection which only serves to give them a few laughs while leaving you even more exposed in their eyes.
So, how is your essenceship today?
Journey with Della 