The biggest leadership challenge… and opportunity

The world of Positive Psychology – the science of what makes life worth living – descended on Melbourne in July 2019 for the 6th World Congress in Positive Psychology. The Congress showcased Melbourne as the world’s most liveable city, whilst respecting the original landowners. It cemented the central role that Australia plays on the world stage of Positive Psychology research and practice and attracted more than 1600 people from over 50 countries spread across 8 continents. It was quite a show!

The theme of the conference was Nexus (connection) and a consistent message was the need for our perspective to shift from developing wellbeing for the individual, to influencing wellbeing within larger and larger systems.

This is, I believe, a central role of leadership – to support the needs, goals and dreams of the individual (me), the team (we) and the organisation (us).

Investing energy and time in developing awareness and understanding at each of these levels is critical to achieving leadership success – which ultimately is about enabling the success of others.

And we are each part of multiple ‘us’s’.

The everyday opportunity of ‘little l’ leadership

Beyond the workplace we can influence systems such as our families, schools, communities through ‘little l’ leadership – our energy, attitude and mindsets and the example we set through our actions and behaviours.  And this is the biggest leadership challenge – to accept and lean into the responsibility and opportunity that ‘little-l’ leadership offers us every day.

How are you leaning into yours?