to | Openness, flow and agility as means and purpose of our commitment to leadership
Why is this website packed with so much “we“, “our“ and “us“? Who are they referring to? Is it Florian and the afY team? Or him and me? Them and us? Me and my people? Or is it “us“ as society?
Choose any option you want. It works. You. We. Them. Together, in any case. The more, the better.
Exemplified leadership
Commitment to leadership includes social and societal responsibility. We find daily opportunities to live and breathe this commitment acting as a role model: whenever we make decisions and show the way, but also when we listen to alternative opinions and are strong enough to admit and rectify our mistakes.
Courage to be open
How do the best ideas, solutions and business models emerge? Most of the times precisely originating from a sincere analysis of the weaknesses, the tension field between opposites and the assembling of cross-functional teams, through the clash of diverse approaches and views, the influence of “career changers” from other fields, and openness towards the new, the unorthodox, the unpredictable.
However, without diminishing the importance of diversity, togetherness is what produces the most overwhelming feeling of success.
Flow
Music as an event involving group dynamics was the first dimension that allowed me to experience the magical power of a common flow,
the irresistibly contagious and attractive power of a driving groove. Physical and mental fatigue are suddenly blown away, formerly complex structures and processes turn into intuitive routines, new open spaces emerge.
It’s also in sports that I feel this fascination whenever a well-coordinated team creates brilliant plays and moves based on deeply internalized tactical concepts. Among others, it’s situations as diverse as joint research, public demonstrations of solidarity, spiritual moments with a group or the development of social projects that have allowed me to experience this kind of flow.
Whenever it appears it’s an unequivocal sign for great teamwork, a successful cooperation of different actors and groups, a smoothly ticking interplay of functions. It forms part of our commitment to leadership that we facilitate this flow time and again in the work environment, and as a result tap into the existing potentials of every individual and the group as a whole.
Agility
Agile philosophy, principles, methods and techniques are no longer limited to their application in software development. They provide us with numerous, diverse and valuable ideas for the general use in the development of our projects, teams and organizations.
Burden is lightest when it’s shared. A mistake most educational when it’s accepted. Success biggest when its collective. In openness towards the different lies our largest potential for growth. It’s through internalizing, exemplifying and transmitting behaviour patterns and capacities like these that we become true leaders.
