Emerging Insights, 5 October 2023
“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.” J.Krishnamurti
In my last post (read it here), we explored the power of rising above titles and labels, uncovering how it paves the way for genuine connections and unbridled trust.
Now, let’s venture even deeper. As the landscape of leadership continues to evolve, it’s evident that the conventional playbook falls short in today’s intricate world. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. We need fresh insights and purpose to thrive amidst complexity.
Here’s the truth: Complexity thrives on relationships, weaving its intricate dance through connections. We’re not bystanders to this dance; we’re an integral part of it. So, the real magic happens in the ties we forge within ourselves, with others, and the world at large. These are the threads that grant us influence and let us ride the waves of change.
Wise leaders understand this secret. They grasp that there’s an intelligence, a brilliance, within each of us that yearns to be set free. It’s a universal spark waiting for the right touch.
Now, imagine tapping into this deeper well of wisdom …
In the following segment from my upcoming book, ‘think less. see clearer. lead wiser – VANTAGE POINT: cutting through the bullsh*t of a complex world,’ you get to explore the profound concept of ‘Seeing the Genius in Your People.’
This principle holds the key to unlocking their full potential and propelling your organisation toward responsible, adaptive, and ecological success.
Seeing the genius in your people!
“They’re all geniuses; they just don’t know it yet!” Quote from a teacher at an International School in Asia
A story in a book I once read, whose title I can’t recall, tells the story of a teacher in an international school in Asia whose students from various cultures excelled in their studies, including learning multiple languages in a short period of time.
When asked about her secret to their success she replied, … “They’re all geniuses; they just don’t know it yet!”.
This quote stuck with me ever since and had a profound impact on my work helping people to learn and see beyond what they think is currently possible.
What happens when we look behind those words and pay attention to where they’re pointing?
We begin to see beyond the realms of the preconceptions we hold about how we think the world works and the people that we engage with. Preconceptions that flavour how we show up and how we perceive and treat others.
When we step into a space where we realise that the way we perceive the world is no more than a projection, made up by the creative and wicked nature of our intellectual mind, we can see it for what it is, … ‘a map of reality, not the absolute truth of reality’.
Maps are useful tools when we apply them mindfully. They help us to capture our thoughts and make sense of the world. To grasp ideas and concepts, articulate those ideas and concepts, and bring them to life.
When we show up from this realisation, we connect with people on deeper levels of consciousness, beyond intellectual preconceptions.
Where we don’t see labels, but human souls connected through the creative intelligence and energy behind life.
This is the space from which we see and unleash the genius in each other!
Rock solid confidence in your people’s capacity for insight
In Chapter 1, (p. 40), we discussed the concept of ‘Capacity for Insight – Your Ultimate Leverage Point’, which I learned from one of my mentors, Jamie Smart.
Jamie conducted a poll with a group of his coaching clients that asked them what would make the biggest difference in their ability to impact the lives of their clients.
The response that topped the list was – “to have rock-solid confidence in my ability as a coach!”
The response at the bottom of the list, with just one vote (Jamie’s own)was – “to have rock-solid confidence in my clients’ capacity for insight!”.
These responses show how easy it is to overlook the potential and power of our clients and our people’s innate ability to gain insights and solve their own problems.
The ‘Capacity for Insight’ refers to an individual’s innate ability to perceive and understand a situation or problem in a way that reveals its underlying nature, structure, or implications.
It involves using one’s perceptiveness, creativity, and critical thinking skills to uncover underlying patterns, connections, and meanings that are not immediately apparent.
Individuals with a strong capacity for insight are often able to generate unique and innovative solutions to complex problems and grasp the underlying principles of new and unfamiliar situations.
As AI makes life more complex and pushes our intellectual abilities, playing the game through the inside-out orientation and utilising our innate capacity for insight is crucial for – problem-solving, decision-making, leadership, creativity and innovation, and human and social connection, and in order to stay relevant.
Unlocking our capacity for insight allows us to tap into the vastness of our creative energy and its infinite wisdom.
Now, if this is true for individuals, then it is also true for groups and organisations.
That means, we can also take the notion of ‘Capacity for Insight – Your Ultimate Leverage Point’ and apply it in an organisational context, where it becomes ‘Your Organisation’s Ultimate Leverage Point’.
The role of seeing the genius in your people and in each other
“It’s from a wise mind we see and unleash the genius in each other!”
Mike Schwarzer
The key to Inside-Out Leadership and unlocking your people’s capacity for insight is seeing the genius in them.
Each of us has access to a deeper wisdom that transcends our intellectual and physical boundaries – this is our genius.
We can see that genius when we look beyond people’s external characteristics such as appearance, personality, idiosyncrasies, attitudes, and behaviours.
When we truly see that genius in ourselves, we can also see it in others.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to foster environments and organisational cultures that nurture and unleash the genius within our people and community.
This enables people to realise their full potential and cultivate the capacity for insight. By doing so, we can unlock the power of our collective genius and achieve greater success.
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To read the full segment, including the Vantage Point Exercise: Unleashing Universal Genius, CLICK HERE for a PDF print version!
With that in mind, always explore and find out for yourself what’s being shared with you!
Contact me at mi**@mi***********.com to further explore how you can expand your leadership impact or simply to reach out to start a conversation.
Learn heaps and keep shining your light on the world! 😊
To your best
Mike
About Mike Schwarzer
Mike is a Transformation Professional and Learning Leader who is passionate about helping leaders and organisations to solve the problems that they have not been able to solve elsewhere.
He works with the underlying mental, behavioural and deeper innate dynamics that drive people’s and organisations’ thinking and actions. He creates and holds the space where they learn how to tap into their inner and outer capabilities in transformational ways and lift their perceptual abilities to see their world, its problems and emerging solutions with fresh eyes.
At the organisational level, Mike’s approach challenges the status quo and hierarchical thinking. He takes you into the world of living ‘open & adaptive’ systems and their self-organising nature. From there you will be able to create a workplace culture that naturally draws from the collective wisdom of all its people and that is highly adaptable to the changing winds of a complex world.
For more information about Mike visit www.mikeschwarzer.com.
