Traditionally, leaders are viewed as operating on a higher plane. While they must maintain a broad, long-term perspective, it is a myth that leaders are completely objective. Leaders are embedded in the groups they lead and cannot detach themselves from their automatic emotional responses.
However, it is critical that leaders learn 'detached thinking' which means inserting a pause between an event and our instinctive responses so we have time to think. John Tobin (ch4 of Complexity & the Experience of Leading Organizations) explains: 'The essence of intelligent behaviour is in delayed response to an encounter with an object in experience while choices among possible responses are being weighed.' (p.76)
As I learn to learn a youth movement it will be essential that I (1) pause before responding to events; (2) recognise I am part of the group I am leading; and (3) use mental distancing but remain emotionally connected and involved.
Tobin concludes, 'Through detached involvement, the leader is... able to attune him or herself emotionally with the other members of the group, without becoming overly caught up in impulsive responses, and thus facilitate group collaboration more effectively.' (pp.90-91)
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Good to hear you won't be making knee-jerk decisions. Whenever we do make knee-jerk decisions, they are usually followed by "what were we thinking" questions! The National Database was a choice made without sufficient time to think through the issues. Let's hope I can learn the detached thinking method as well!
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