Top 3 inspirations from 2022
This was a year of big learnings and inspirations for me. It was marked by the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis that this war has caused. Within the first few weeks after the outbreak, over 2 million refugees crossed the Polish border. Mothers with small children. The elderly, with a single suitcase containing all they had left for a start in a foreign country. Families torn apart, leaving their sons, brothers, and husbands behind. So much horror and fear.
#1
Despite all the atrocity and terror that the war has caused, it was heartwarming to see how people united to help others in need.
There is no way to measure the ratio between all the bad and all the good that the war has triggered. Despite of the unimaginable pain and torment, I have seen some heroic deeds and examples of righteousness.
- We welcomed refugees into our homes and helped them settle in the new reality outside of their homes.
- We have organized humanitarian aid with teammates from across the globe joining forces.
- We organized legal and psychological support for those who have been harmed by the war.
#2
This war affected me on a personal level. It has also shaken my work life. I work with teams from Ukraine and I can still remember reading the moment I first read about the bombings. Back then I did not comprehend what it meant.
As leaders, we always think about our people first. Are they safe? Did anything happen to them? Later on, we had to make some hard calls to protect our customers (and their data) as much as we protect our teammates. It was a very challenging and nearve-wreking time, and it taught me (yet again) a valuable lesson. Transparent and open communication is the most powerful leadership tool.
We had a rough start but once we opened all channels, at all levels of leadership, we managed to build trust and psychological safety for the team. We were sharing all we could with the broader team on a daily basis. Not knowing and second-guessing can cause more harm than being aware of the situation, even if it is a challenging one.
#3
Last but not least, comes my biggest inspiration for 2022 (and beyond). My coach introduced me to the concept of adult development and I fell in love with it. I already knew that even as adults we need to keep pushing ourselves to grow as leaders (and as humans). But getting to know the framework for adult development helped me understand where I am today and where I want to be in the future.
Let’s not allow adulthood to just happen to us. We never stop growing and developing. But it requires our conscious attention and effort to become better versions of ourselves.
It is unavoidable that all of us will grow older. Let’s make sure we become wiser at the same time.
I encourage you to get familiar with Dr. Robert Kegan’s Theory of Adult Development. My enlightenment moment was when I heard Kagan’s “big idea”. In the grand scheme of things, we now live a whole generation longer compared to a few hundreds years ago. What if the main reason for us to live longer is to collectively make this world a better place?
“What if we are living longer to find the way out of hell.” — asks Dr Kagan.
I want to say to any of you who spent your life in any way supporting the development of people, that there may be no more important work to do.
The start of 2023 is a perfect moment to start growing up as adults. Let Dr Kegan inspire you.
Photo by Kasia Derenda on Unsplash
