Which Way To Progress?

Our world is a very different place and as leaders we find ourselves needing new tools, new insights, new strategies, and new tactics for dealing with the ambiguity and challenges we currently face. This ambiguity has become a hot topic because of the unpredictable and volatile nature of today’s global environment. We are all faced with complex and uncertain situations where clear-cut solutions are not readily available. As such, leaders need to be comfortable with ambiguity and able to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Embracing ambiguity can lead to innovative solutions, adaptability, and resilience in leaders, which are crucial qualities in today’s fast-paced ever-changing world. As I was visiting with professors at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School we were contemplating this. As I returned back to The Kilns I was also reminded of what C. S. Lewis said:

“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. There is nothing progressive about being pig-headed and refusing to admit a mistake. And I think if you look at the present state of the world it’s pretty plain that humanity has been making some big mistakes. We’re on the wrong road. And if that is so we must go back. Going back is the quickest way on.” ~ C. S. Lewis

There is plenty of disagreement about what progress is these days, which should motivate us to decide our true north and find the right roads. We even need to decide, at the very core, what is progress. One of the points that Michael Smets, Professor of Management made in class, and he made it again today when we were visiting was, “We need to be humans first and experts second.” We need to remember that relationships matter. Also, as Lewis pointed out, we need to quit being “pig headed.” This includes admitting mistakes and changing direction.

Byron's Babbles