OPINION
The importance of presence In challenging times, our presence as leaders conveys two critical messages: that we care and understand. Too many leaders underestimate the importance of their presence. It is insu cient for a leader to be informed, with all the relevant information and data, but not be seen. In times of crisis, we need to see our leaders and their absence will simply communicate that they don’t fully understand or care su ciently. There is no expectation from a community, team or company that you, as leader, will have all the answers to any given situation or challenge. Equally, there is no expectation that you will bring about the change that is necessary immediately. However, there is an expectation that you will be present. Leadership is not about getting it right all the time. It is not waiting until you have all the answers and then moving with confidence that your actions are the right ones. Leadership is about making di cult decisions and owning the outcome when you get it wrong. We will be forgiven as leaders if we get it wrong but have acted with good intent and integrity, consulting others where we could. We won’t be forgiven as leaders if we fail to make decisions out of fear of making the wrong choice.
greater skill or experience, they didn’t have access to resources that others didn’t and they didn’t hold positions of leadership based on the number of lives lost from the country they represented. They took and held positions of leadership because they moved first and had clarity in their actions and purpose. I spent 12 months with Interpol in France, leading an international counterterrorism project focused on the identification of threats and trends related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. I went on to work with the United Nations O ce on Drugs and Crime in Southeast Asia, where I advised on counterterrorism and capacity building. The recurring theme in responding to threats of terrorism is that hope is not a plan. While there is only so much contingency planning that we can do, we can’t just hope that something won’t happen.
“Our presence as leaders conveys that we care and
understand. Too many leaders underestimate the importance of their presence”
Peter Baine s is a keynote speaker and humanitarian who helps leaders and their teams maximise their potential. He is the author of Leadership Matters: Stories and Insights for Leaders, Achievers and Visionaries , published by Wiley
Ambition OCTOBER 2023 | 37
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online