Perseverance and Purpose: "bound together by shared humanity"

 

What?

Leaders are not created by knowing exactly what to do at every turn, they are created by being willing to take every turn until they know what to do. Becoming a leader, a title not restricted to someone who holds power, does not come with step-by-step instructions. They are comprised by skill development, real world applications, and innate characteristics (Rowe & Krause, 2022). They require a willingness to learn, further understand, and develop new ways of approaching a given issue. Perseverance and amenability to failure are what allow leaders to grow for themselves, to promote growth in those they lead, and continue towards an end goal for the betterment of a group, philanthropic cause, humanity, etc. The goal is simple: “Try. Fail. Then try again.,” (Novogratz, 2020). There is no story of change that is free of setbacks, miscalculations, mistakes, and lessons learned; there are only stories where this either stopped progress or was just a new starting point.

So, What?

Leading may not always be a choice, but taking the lead is: it is a calling, which serves a purpose. That purpose may exist on a small or large scale, locally or globally. In this framework, there is a call for change that ignites a purpose, a spark for a certain cause. In global leadership, among objectives are the need to continue education on leadership skill building, ability to work with the diverse body of individuals within the specific environment and using all they learn and experience to push forward to make real, everlasting change. Whether this is a specific mission like the company Phool and trying to improve health of the Ganges or Acumen attempting to increase financial reach to lower income persons, family, and areas (Novogratz, 2020), inability to concede in difficult times is the strongest tool that leaders have, to show real change. The persistence to continue moving forward towards the goal, despite challenges, will spark the same perseverance in those they lead as they have found in themselves (McKimm, et al., 2022). Introspectively, this allows individuals to follow through towards their purpose. A part of the calling to be a global leader in world change is exemplifying the ability to learn, relearn and start again. Doing so and building up resiliency to what others would deem failures or setbacks, will promote reaching goals and relevancy long-term (2024).

Now What?

              To say global leaders, need perseverance is simplifying a concept that is not complex in ideology, but not always simple to achieve. There are times when moving forward is not possible or where the next step is not obvious. A leader’s ability to adapt, based on existing knowledge or something newly discovered, can be instrumental in finding a way to move forward. Driving forward for any goal can affect those immediately impacted by a cause but also leaves opportunity for everlasting effects on humankind. These could be issues of a social, political, economic, or ethical nature and could be on a business, community, society, national or international scale. Hand in hand are perseverance and purpose; When you find purpose on an issue or project, you find the motivation to fight beyond the obstacles set in front of you. Persevering through hard scenarios will then allow you to recognize what is of utmost importance to you and your mission. Making what matters most to us as individuals a priority is vital to the progress of the collective. What may start as a vision or value to one, can spread to those whom they interact with and lead people to a common goal that has value beyond the interests of the few and create lasting change for the many. Purposes change, but the impact made can outlive those who made them; No change will come by fearing what could go wrong, it will only come when we take that fear, turn it into fuel, and make something of the journey we set forward on.

 

 

                                                                     References

 

McKimm, J., Ramani, S., Forrest, K., Bishop, J., Findyartini, A., Mills, C., … Radu, G. (2022). Adaptive leadership during challenging times: Effective strategies for health professions educators: AMEE Guide No. 148. Medical Teacher, 45(2), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2022.2057288

Novogratz, J. (2020). Manifesto for a moral revolution: practices to build a better world (First edition.). Henry Holt and Company.

The role of perseverance in leadership success. The Role of Perseverance in Leadership Success. (2024, June 12). https://www.jointhecollective.com/article/the-role-of-perseverance-in-leadership-success/

 

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