I have been examining this for longer than I am even aware. I used to think leadership is about capabilities. Then I thought leadership is about directing. And then I thought leadership is about empathy, care and giving. Then I found out leadership is about empowerment, enablement and nurturing. Suddenly, I get all excited, and I jumbled into leadership tons of creative energy and spontaneous freedom, and my daughter, often, truly astutely, would exclaim – “That’s a jumbly mess!” (after Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss). And we would collapse in laughter at our own silliness and creative discoveries. Leadership became for me about discoveries and joy.

I am now facing this very interesting space. That leadership is about courage.

It is about standing in a space where no one can even begin to recognise what you are just beginning to glimpse, where not even a vision is yet articulable, but that you know that it is the only direction worth facing. And that you are already taking a step towards that destiny. Regardless, in spite of, amidst, everything articulable and inarticulable.

You continue to walk tall and securely. One step at a time, without a map, because it is no longer a space where a map exists anymore (no one can tell you what to do in this space), just an inner compass. An intuition, that is unchanging. Towards uniqueness, towards unity of heart, towards peace and reconciliation, towards freedom, towards – courage.

And you are no longer afraid to do what is simply right.

And you find in that heart of courage: responsible action.

And that it is as silent as it is active. And that it is as personal as it is universal.

And doubt disappears and only belief remains.

That our human lives are about doing good and our common destiny is love.