Another View of Leadership (Organizational. and Otherwise… )
Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
You may be wondering how “leadership” and (Saint-Exupery’s thoughts on) “love” are related, but they are.
Sort of.
Let’s put aside the “gazing at each other” part of the quote and focus on “looking outward together in the same direction.”
And furthermore, let’s concede that in any endeavor there are people who play different roles (i.e., a leader and followers).
What is most important – and why this quote is so useful – is that when love is the motivation (a shared sense of possibility and passion, not anything romantic… ) all that matters is that everyone is looking in the same direction.
That’s what leaders do: creating a common purpose and a common vision.