Freedom comes when we start to allow people to see not only the glossy image<\/p>\n
but the mess as well<\/p>\n
-Simon P. Walker-<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking good and impressive is something that many people like. That’s why many people will try to conceal their past and background. Many people don’t like their true identity to be known by many people because it is considered to be able to affect their appearance in public. One thing that many people can do is to make their appearance as attractive as possible. Another thing is that they will equip themselves with various knowledge and skills to show that they deserve attention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I must confess that I too experience such feelings. I derive happiness from impressing others with my possessions, irrespective of my inner emotions or struggles at the time. The primary concern is to present well to others, no matter the circumstances. Although this gives me pleasure, it feels like wearing a heavy mask on my face, and I’m not sure why.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reading Simon P. Walker’s writing makes me feel like being slapped. Walker wrote that leadership is fundamentally \u201cabout who you are, not what you know or what skills you have.\u201d[1]<\/a> Walker’s view emphasizes primarily on who the leader is, rather than on the knowledge and skills that they acquire. This means being open and authentic in front of people, rather than the other way around. Being authentic and true to oneself will provide relief and liberation for a leader, instead of burdening them. Walker emphasizes that \u201cfreedom comes when we start to allow people to see not only the glossy image but the mess as well.\u201d[2]<\/a> A true condition is needed by all leaders, but not everyone can find and experience it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Most leaders prefer to stay in a false comfort zone rather than be open and authentic. But in reality, this condition can be potentially dangerous for the leader themselves and for the people they lead. Walker says, “Leaders who cling to personal power and are not free always, in the end, become corrupted.\u201d[3]<\/a> That is why we often find leaders (maybe including myself) who experience boredom, fatigue, and even burnout. Leaders who experience corruption endanger their own mental health and others\u2019 and have the potential to harm others in their leadership.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Walker’s writing has taught me the importance of serving and leading authentically. Being authentic means letting go of the ego that has led us to prioritize maintaining a certain image rather than truly serving others. I must distance myself from the desire to become a superhero who saves as many people as possible. Walker writes \u201cthe choices you make to live an undefended life, to lead as an undefended leader, are not made for the sake of balance or wellbeing; they are made for a greater good. And that greater good is to set people free\u201d.[4]<\/a> Walker’s perspective provides insight that the primary goal of leadership is to liberate others so that they can discover their own authenticity. By achieving this, a true leader will enable others to take responsibility.[5]<\/a> Walker\u2019s view inline with Eve Poole, a leader is a position that can bring a person into vulnerability, that’s why leaders must demonstrate tough leadership to be able to provide the people they lead with a sense of clarity and direction in the face of uncertainty. Therefore, through the forging process, prospective leaders or emerging leaders who develop themselves need to have a deep understanding of values and goals so that they do not lose their way and the decision they choose is wise and brings goodness.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Walker’s writing really opened my eyes. Until now, my leadership has mostly been in a defended style rather than an undefended style. My ego and childhood experiences likely played a role in shaping me to adopt such a leadership model. But I was wrong. Instead of liberating others, my leadership could very well have been restraining and burdensome for others. Walker’s advice below feels right for me. \u201cI have to stop trying to rescue people,”\u00a0\u201cI have to allow feedback to touch me,” I have to stop wanting to win at all costs, instead enjoy the moment and stay in it,” \u201cI have to trust myself and others.”[7]<\/a> Therefore, I must immediately repent by leaving the defended style and adopting the undefended style.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Simon P. Walker,\u00a0Leading out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership<\/em>, (London, UK: Piquant Edition Ltd. 2007), 5.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Simon P. Walker, Leading<\/em> Out of Who You Are<\/em>, 33.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Walker, 47.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Walker, 124.<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Walker, 153.<\/p>\n