One element that I love about the Wu-Tang Clan is the way ten artists with radically different styles, and in some cases a history of conflict, came together to form a revolutionary and cohesive rap group.1
RZA, the leader, deserves a lot of the credit for this, as the group spawned from his vision. That said, each of the members of the group “took the lead” whenever they were featured on a track.
When we are in RZA’s role, many of us naturally assume the mantle of leadership. We rise to the occasion when we have the authority as the boss, supervisor or project leader.
However, unless you are the CEO, President, Executive Director or top boss in the organization, most of us are also on teams where we are not the leader. In these situations, we still need to take responsibility for our influence on those around us and on the world.
When I am under stress, I find it harder to play a leadership role in the moments where I am not the designated leader.
Earlier this week, I learned this lesson once again.
Another colleague on the project leadership team was leading a meeting where I was more of a participant. Because of the pressure I felt from other projects, I did not show up curious and open to learning. Moreover, the topic was a complex and unfamiliar one. The combination of the pressure and uncertainty first led to an internal dialogue of 1) anger that I was spending time in a meeting that felt less urgent than other issues on my plate, and 2) fear that others would realize I was struggling to figure out the answer. As a result, the comments I made during the meeting weren’t constructive, my tone was negative at times and I likely inhibited the team’s creativity.
This was a missed opportunity to lead even when I wasn’t leading from the front.
How can we think about our role on the team when we are not leading? One answer comes from Jim Dethmer and Diana Chapman. They describe three roles for when we are in “Presence.:”2
Creator: Get curious. Listen deeply. Share ideas without feeling the need to be right. Invite others to create with you. Engage with others with a spirit of playfulness.
Challenger: Get curious. Call forth new ideas and ways of thinking about problems. Raise the ambition. Provoke others to take action in a constructive way.
Coach: Get curious. Provide encouragement. Invite self-awareness. Help others by asking questions to facilitate learning.
Notice that in all three of these roles, curiosity is an integral part of playing the role.
I’ve also learned that for me there is an initial step that I need to take when I am not in the lead. I need to create the space for myself to “re-set,” especially during the times I feel overloaded with work and/or worried about something in my personal life.
Some of the simple, quick tactics to “re-set” include breathing techniques and visual cues. Scientific research out of Stanford University points to breath and vision as ways we can “turn off” the stress response:
Breath: What researchers call physiological sighs—double inhalations followed by exhalations - can help us bring down stress levels. (Babies do this naturally when they are sobbing, so we know it’s a biological tool that works.)
Vision: Panoramic vision, or looking out at the horizon, is a mode of vision that can reduce stress levels. Rather than focusing intently, keep your head still but move your gaze around - above, below and to the side of what is directly in front of you.
These are just two of many tactics that can help with quick re-sets. It doesn’t really matter what tactic you use, the key is that you find something that helps you to re-set so that when you are interacting with others, you will still show up mindful of the role you want to play and the impact you have on others. This will enhance creativity, engagement and energy levels even when you aren’t in the lead.
While few of us have the lyrical gifts of Method Man or Raekwon (two Wu-Tang Clan members), we can aim to embrace the roles that they played in the group in the early days, assuming the mantle of leadership when we “get on the mic” even when we aren’t the designated leader.
Some questions I reflected on this week:
What meetings/interactions coming up this week will I have an opportunity to “lead when I am not leading”?
Even though I am not “RZA” in those meetings, what is the most valuable role I can play to move the work forward (Creator, Challenger, Coach)?
If I start off a meeting not showing up as my best self, how can I reset (breathing, visual cue, mantra)?
They were at least cohesive for the first seven years or so. After that, there were many public “beefs” between members, but let’s focus on the golden years. If you are at all a fan of the Wu-Tang clan or music history in general, I highly recommend “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” on Hulu.