Recently, I helped organise a debate with London is Fem and IDEA on the subject of ‘Activism and Feminism: how to create change’. 5 panellists each from incredibly diverse and unique positions giving thought provoking insights. One person, for me, stood above the rest though and that was Pavan from My Body Back project.
Throughout the event, she spoke with a sense of honesty and incredibly forthright humility — ‘When I started my Body Back, I was scared and embarrassed’ one of the lines she mentioned.
Leadership has to come from the heart. And she had it in spades. How? Having the bravery to admit she was unsure what she was doing, recognising and wrestling with that discomfort, and then emerging with a view of I’m going to do it anyway. Often, leaders we know in the community, politics or business all seem so 100% sure of everything, to the extent, it seems they were always born for that role.
For instance, take Alan Sugar and Karen Brady from the Apprentice. Two successful people in the worlds of business and sport. Neither strikes me as the type that would admit making a mistake or would concede to others in high-pressure situations.
Both decisive and assured. Qualities important in leadership but where is the relatability? Where is the sense that actually it is possible to be a leader AND get things wrong from time to time. Sometimes you need to stumble and that is OK.
Imagine leaders like this.
Those with humility, grace and genuine compassion. Imagine our politicians on Question Time willing to admit ‘We tried this approach but it didn’t work. We’ll try another now’ rather than defending to the hilt policies and positions for political gain. Imagine how that would look?
Humility — underrated and not often given its due credit.
