I’m excited to share with you an article I wrote for LeadersHub magazine. Link to full article is below. Enjoy:)
The answer may surprise you. First impressions may not easily reveal the similarities between dance and leadership, however a more thorough perusal reveals some surprising similarities, the main one being that they are both reliant on an effective leader/follower relationship.
But you ask ‘What does this look like?” Whether it’s leading in dancing or leading in business; we look for the same things in a good leader. TRUST, RAPPORT, RESPECT, CONFIDENCE, VISION, LISTENING, CARING, BEING PRESENT.
How are these things communicated? I can’t just say “I’m trustworthy or am confident” it doesn’t work that way. The answer is that it’s based on a multitude of actions, mostly non-verbal ones, that we are often not even conscious of doing. This is why using a concept called ‘Embodied leadership’ which uses the whole body not just the brain, can be so powerful.
Embodied leadership -“is a phenomenological approach to leadership that recognizes the contribution that bodily gestures and postures, feelings and other forms of expression have in conveying meaning and authenticity as well as the ability to learn” says Dr Wendolin Küpers.
Embodied leadership -“is about both being able to “take” and hold a space/room, and at the same time be aware of both self (somatic awareness), and others” states Helle Winther.
In order for leadership to be effective in today’s organizational contexts, leaders must combine both their heads and bodies in order to inspire and support their followers. This approach is an embodied one. Embodied leaders who can develop the ability to create flexibility in their behavioral patterns (based on a somatic awareness) can become more agile, which means they can approach situations with a more open and non-judgmental attitude.
Lets look at this firstly from a dancing perspective…to read more and for full article please click here https://leadershiphq.com.au/magazine-info/