I used to think that good leadership includes having a clear roadmap, one that is precise, reliable, and carefully planned.  But over time, I have realized that the most difficult challenges are the ones where no map can anticipate.  Because leadership today is not about going through straight paths, it is leading through storms you didn’t see coming.

During The Black Swan Effect, our INAC Global flagship event recently held in Mexico City, we explored what it means to lead in times when unpredictability is the normal way. What really happened during this event? I walked into the meeting room thinking about strategies, and then I walked out reflecting on something deeper, on how we do lead when what used to work no longer applies.

That is when I realized that sometimes, the most powerful leaders aren’t the ones who know exactly where they are going.  They are the ones who carry a strong compass.

• A compass guided by intuition; that quiet sense that helps you notice what others overlook.
• A compass ground in purpose; the reason you keep moving forward, even when the road ahead is not clear.
• And a compass shaped by adaptability; the ability to change direction, adjust your approach, and start over when old ways no longer work.

We spoke a lot during the event about the dangers of certainty, about how what made us successful yesterday can become our blind spot.  I have seen it in teams that cling to past wins, in decisions made from fear of letting go, in leaders who confuse control with direction.

But holding space for questions, for doubt, for emerging ideas is now one of the boldest things a leader can do.  It is not weakness, it is trust. Trust in the process, in the people, in the mission.  It is leading without pretending to have the map, but with the courage to guide others using your inner compass.

I want to leave this with you:

• We do not need to have all this figured out.  We need to be grounded, to be present.  And we need to lead, not with all answers, but with the willingness to ask powerful questions.
• We need leaders who create space for reflection, for new thinking, for others to bring their voice.  The one who dares to say he/she doesn’t know yet, and trusts is the process while clarity emerges.
• Maybe leadership today is not about being right, maybe it is about being ready to pause, rethink, and to unlearn.
• The most courageous thing a leader can do is to walk forward without a map, but with a compass that others can follow.

___________________________

René Johnson, Managing Director, Pacific Search Partners (INAC Australia)

René is an experienced Executive Search Consultant with a career spanning both corporate and consulting worlds. As the Founder and Managing Director of Pacific Search Partners, he leads a boutique Executive Search firm specialising in the appointment of Chairs, Non-Executive Directors, CEOs, and senior Executives across listed companies, private enterprises, government agencies, and not-for-profits.

He has advised on more than 450 Board and Executive appointments in Australia and internationally. In addition to his search work, René is a past President of INAC Global Executive Search and has held a number of Board and advisory roles.

A longstanding partner of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Governance Institute of Australia, René has supported more than a thousand emerging Non-Executive Directors in navigating and building their Board careers.

René Johnson

Pacific Search Partners