“Leadership is simultaneously an art, a philosophy,
a practice, and a learning journey.”
Virginia Sada York
We are all seeking to lead ourselves well in the complexity and challenge of modern living.
There is a yearning for wholeness, for healthiness, for happiness that is insuppressible in humans. Our times are full of immense challenge. We need to know what leadership is.
The topic of leadership asks in these days not to be tinged with ideas of the past, of dominance or rule over others. Nor of power of any sort – other than the will to lead oneself into the highest potential of self in one’s lifetime.
This book is intended for all people – born from my work with business folk as an executive coach and a counsellor, sitting in the crucible of holding awareness and compassion for the many stages of life, and growth of self, that need witnessing in a place of positive regard and helpful holding.
Over the years I have been asked “Where can I read about what you speak, Virginia”?
And I slowly realized I had synthesized many teachings from many great teachers in my life (I will aim to name and credit them as this book progresses), and that there was no ONE book that outlined what I spoke about.
So I offer now these pages as a synthesis, a drawing together, hopefully an easy to digest overview of some core useful ideas and concepts and practices that will deepen and enliven YOUR leadership!
By heart I am a poet, interested in language and meaning, insight and uplift of the soul.
Thus I wanted to offer words of beauty and harmony – for your benefit.
It is my aim to reveal, not confuse;
to encourage, not make wrong;
to illuminate, not dampen, your own journey in leading your life.
I hope the reading of this work will be uplifting – that by the act of reading your heart will be encouraged, your spirit rise, your sense of connection to others and the big purpose of your life strengthened. Always the muse has led me to envisage a book beautiful to read, simple and elegant, with illustrations and poems to speak to your soul.
“I believe that magic is art, and that art, whether that be music, writing, sculpture, or any other form, is literally magic. Art is, like magic, the science of manipulating symbols, words or images, to achieve changes in consciousness… Indeed, to cast a spell is simply to spell, to manipulate words, to change peoples consciousness, and this is why I believe that an artist or writer is the closest thing in the contemporary world to a shaman.” Alan Moore
Why poetics?
I love this word. It hints at the structured, impactful, considered nature of poetry – a kind of study of how things are built, with beauty and intention, to move the reader.
And I have a metaphorical use of poetry in this book.
I will be uncovering how poetry is like leadership. How they are both artful and considered.
Am I getting your attention? Curious?
Why leadership?
My view of leadership may not match the ideals you think of when the term leadership is mentioned. It is a practice, so a verb. Not a noun. Not a simple thing to observe but a quality and dynamic to sense.
My view of leadership is three-layers, all interconnected.
Leadership of the dynamics
Leading others/team
Leading self
Each of these layers builds, with the foundation stone being leading self.
I always say to clients this goes to self-mastery – and is of course the big one, the work of a lifetime. We are always leading ourselves – hopefully with more wisdom and good will and practice of our best aspects of self.
Why this title?
“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say,
but what we are unable to say.”
Anais Nin
Leadership can be elusive, conceptually it is often what we are unable to say about ourselves. Even as leaders in business and life. I hope to pry apart and get some light into this mystery of leading.
As I share more pages of my unfolding manuscript, my intention and great hope is that it will enhance your own leadership journey.
With love, compassion and humility,
Virginia Sada York