12/5 2011
Posted in: Leadership, Personal Growth
When you think of being a stronger leader, do you think of forgiveness as being one of the characteristics? Probably not. But here is why forgiveness is critical to being a strong leader.
- Leadership starts with relationships. Relationships are important in order to have a rapport with your followers and peers and then with rapport comes trust. How can we follow someone who we do not trust? So if relationships are the foundation of being a strong leader, how can you maintain relationships without being compassionate? And compassion is the seed of forgiveness- both asking of forgiveness and granting forgiveness to others. Many businesses have long standing employee relationships- people who have been with your organization for decades. We all know the term “baggage” and that is often what comes with long term relationships. And with baggage comes resentment, anger, or maybe just plain apathy. But in any case, none of these emotions are healthy to promoting positive relationships. And so what is the root to ridding yourself of these emotions- forgiveness. Make sense? So if you are a leader who believes in promoting strong relationships, forgiveness should be at the heart of not only what you do, what who you are.
- Why else is forgiveness essential to strong leadership? Because often we are hardest on ourselves than we are on anyone. If we are to move forward in a productive way, we have to learn to forgive ourselves of past errors. Often what keeps leaders up at night is thinking and re-thinking bad decisions that they have made in haste. If we are to start the day anew with an attitude of hope and resilience, we must start by truly understanding the intensity by which we need to forgive ourselves.
- Forgiveness is more than an emotion- it is steeped in action. You may say that emotionally you forgive someone, but are your actions following your heart? Your mouth may be saying, “I forgive you” but are your hands and feet living the true forgiveness that you are proclaiming?
- Asking for forgiveness is the most basic act of humility. Asking for forgiveness is admitting you were wrong and asking for a fresh start. Asking for forgiveness breaks the ice during the bitter coldness that invades some relationships. Asking for forgiveness puts you and the other person on the same side of the problem and shows that you are willing to work together instead of tear each other apart. It takes boldness and courage to ask for forgiveness- which are other traits of strong leaders. How bold are you as a leader? Are you bold enough to say, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
How does forgiveness play out in your life? What is one relationship in your life that needs healing? How will forgiveness help you get there?
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