Stepping into Your “Virtual” Human Leadership
“This won’t work.”
A fully virtual program would never work. I heard this statement at least 20 times in 2018 before I launched a virtual leadership program. From the idea to the wrap-up, it was the result of my passion, courage and learning for many years.
And there I was, stepping into my leadership with a focus on human growth that has been so close to my heart all my life. And so were 100 employees and leaders from more than 30 countries with different backgrounds and career levels. All of them willing to reflect, connect and grow. All this 100% virtually. We all were and are leaders and human beings: this was the underlying belief of the program – everyone is a leader and everyone is a human being.
Little did I know that virtual would be the way to be and do years later for very different reasons. What I had been seeing for years was the need for empowerment, leadership growth and human connections in a virtual setting. And I believed it would be possible. So, I jumped into the unknown (virtual) space with a clear purpose and firm belief in human potential and the power of human connections. Not long after we started the first appreciative voices were there: “very thought-through assignments”, “very interactive”, “we can learn from each other”, “what an exciting journey in the world of leadership”. It was incredible to see the level of engagement, support and courage in sharing, learning and becoming better leaders throughout the three months. Not only did the virtual setting work, but it also actually created further opportunities for people to explore, connect and tap into areas of growth.
“This has been a great program, and I really enjoyed the format. It has been an amazing journey.”
This statement and seeing people learn and grow openly and courageously made the long hours of designing, putting concepts together, validating feel like a second and made it all worth it.
“Digital transformation is really a human story”, this quote by Brian Solis offered inspiration in bringing this program to life. So did many human beings along my own leadership journey. I learned from Seth Godin’s altMBA leadership workshop, the Co-Active leadership program, my experience and learning as a coach and so much more in the last over 15 years. And of course from the many human beings I have come across and feel fortunate to have in my world. To all of you thank you for the source of inspiration and for holding me accountable to my purpose. To the participants, thank you for your openness and willingness to explore and grow with curiosity and humanness.
There is (so much) more to come as I’m more committed than ever to the purpose of human-centered leadership that we need so much of in our world.
What is more to come for you as a leader?
