POETRY

Completely BARE: Uncensored Poetry

Day# 10 OF THE 30/30 PROJECT: THE LONELY LEADER

THE LONELY LEADER

Image created by author, Naomi Knight, using NightCafe AI https://creator.nightcafe.studio/ using the prompt:SDXL digital art image of a spotlit leader standing in the centre of a crowd, with a look of fear on her face. She is in a suit, with tie, glasses perched on her nose and sassy red lipstick.

As one group of meeting participants leaves your office to make way for the next group to file in, you gulp a mouthful of cold coffee. Surprised that it has gone cold so quickly, your assistant only bought it for you a little while ago; you glance at your watch to discover that it Is 3 pm. You realise you haven’t had lunch, drunk any water, sent a dozen emails that need to sent by COB, or started the crucial scoping and planning work necessary to design new services and products to be released in the next quarter.

Since you arrived in the office at 8 a.en dealing with crises, resolving issues within teams, listening aders' fears and decisions, strategic direction, and the parameters within which individuals are empowered to make decisions and progress business activity.

Exhausted, you look around you; the faces of your employees turn towards you — expectantly and blankly — and you realise that the rest of your day will be filled with more of the same until you leave at 6 pm.

Tossing and turning in bed, you wearily sit up. 3 am.

No point attempting to go to sleep now.