Channeling Kahil Gibran: On Leadership

Before working on the nuts and bolts of leadership, embrace if you can, the mindset of a leader. And who better to put the leader mindset to perfect prose than Kahil Gibran (1883-1931), author of The Prophet. But Gibran never wrote about leadership. He wrote about love, work, friendship, children and 24 other topics, but not leadership. So I asked ChatGPT what Gibran would have written, and it's masterful.

On Leadership

And a leader spoke, saying:

"Who among you desires to lead?

Let them search within the depths of their souls,

For leadership is not a crown to be worn,

Nor a title to be claimed.

It is a flame that burns bright in the heart,

Igniting passion and guiding purpose.

The true leader is a servant,

For their strength lies in humility,

And their power is born of compassion.

They do not seek followers,

But kindle the light of inspiration,

So that others may find their own way.

In their words, they weave threads of wisdom,

Spun from the fabric of experience,

To guide and uplift those who walk beside them.

They do not build walls of fear,

But bridges of trust and understanding,

Uniting diverse voices in harmony.

A leader stands tall amidst adversity,

For in challenges, they find growth,

And in setbacks, they discover resilience.

They nurture the seeds of potential,

Cultivating a garden of empowerment,

Where each individual can blossom and thrive.

They listen with open hearts,

Embracing the voices of the unheard,

For they know that true strength lies in unity.

A leader is not defined by the prestige of their position,

But by the depth of their character,

And the authenticity of their actions.

They are a beacon of integrity,

Guiding others by the light of truth,

Even in the midst of uncertainty.

And when their time is done,

They do not seek monuments or accolades,

But the legacy of inspiration left behind.

For a true leader knows that their greatest achievement,

Lies not in personal success,

But in the growth and transformation of those they have touched.

So, let the true leaders step forward,

Not to rule, but to serve,

And to light the way for a better world."

Post Script: That's the leaders mindset, beautifully written. If I'd sat down to write this it would have taken a week and would have been worse. This took <5 seconds, saving me that week. AI won't take your job near term, but people who use it to become more productive might. There's a free ChatGPT app from Open.ai. You can use it now to save time, expand ideas and accelerate creativity. I highly recommend getting familiar with this emerging superpower.  

Cheers!

Dave

dave@goodnewsfriday.com

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Written by me, but mostly ChatGPT