Sunday evening, I was reminded of the above quote as my husband and I watched the television drama Madame Secretary. After a particular painful series of world events, President Dalton (Keith Carradine) shares an old Viet Nam war story with Secretary McCord (Tea Leoni). In the telling of this story, he quotes a commanding officer advising him that some days, all we can do is,

“Lead as wisely as we can, then carry the weight as best we can.”

While this was part of a fictional story, it is a powerful statement for leaders in real life. Leadership is not to be taken lightly. The decisions we make and the actions we take affect real lives, everyday. Our presence, demeanor and communication impacts every person we come in contact with. Leadership is a heavy burden, indeed. However, as the quote reminds us, the burden is something we can carry when we first lead as wisely as we can.

Here are a few prompts for further reflection:

  • What wisdom do you have from your own experiences?
  • What mentors or close associates can you gather more wisdom from?
  • How do you apply this collected wisdom to your role as a leader?
  • What steps can you take today so the daily burden of leadership is something you can carry?
  • Lastly, how do you share this wisdom with the leaders you are developing?

Lead on. Wisely.

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The Tuesday Tidbit is the emerging leader’s weekly source for team building tips, leadership development content, creative ideas and general workplace inspiration. To further discuss any of these topics,contact me here and let’s chat!