This year, 2020, will go down as the year that no one wants to remember, but can’t forget. Coronavirus, unrest, economic devastation… the disheartening list goes on.
Except for one thing.
What we are witnessing this year is a seismic shift. An epic battle between self-interest and altruism has been playing out on the global stage.
And like all sagas, just when we thought all was lost, just when we felt battered into submission by disease and grief and isolation, a light appeared in the distance.
I’m not going to trouble you with any more obvious hyperbole (or indeed political discussion; everyone has a right to their views and, indeed, their vote).
But the fact is, countries become sick when their leaders are fuelled by rampant ego and a disordered mind. The polity becomes infected with hate and division. Lives that should be lived well and peacefully descend into chaos and pain. (At this point I could draw on Hobbes and The Scottish Play, but who needs that. ‘Nuff said!)
A body of work
The current state of affairs got me thinking about how we, as creative freelancers, present ourselves to the world. How the message we send is received by others. What it achieves. How we can step out of the everyday and view what we do not just as a series of gigs, but a contribution to a valuable, lifelong body of work we can be proud of.
One of the key messages of my business is recognising that the authors I collaborate with are building their own body of work, and that it’s important. It’s what they’re passionate about, what they want to contribute. It’s their unique gift and legacy: what, in the end, they will leave behind.
When we look at our message, some useful questions we can ask ourselves are:
- How do I project myself and my business to others?
- How do I want others to perceive me?
- Is that positive or negative?
- Is it caring and empathic?
- How does this build a body of work I’d be happy to leave behind?
- What would I like people to remember me for?
Self-leadership and service
The thing is, leadership isn’t just about garnering devoted followers. At the moment, management theory is recognising the value of a servant leader: not the old, top-down, ‘do-as-I-say’ order of command and control. Hierarchies are flattening, with seniors who make a point of being genuinely of service to their staff and clients – operating from the bottom-up, not the other way round – coming to the fore.
Leadership is also very much about governance of the self. And the self is one area where we as individuals can enact real, meaningful change. Transformation is powerful. We can always work on it, especially after a reality check where we might have found ourselves looking in the mirror and perhaps not liking everything we see.
As creative freelancers, we are the boss. We work with clients, but we are at the helm of our own enterprises. We decide on our direction. We can create that room to grow.
All of this is a great opportunity for serious self-leadership. From that comes role-modelling, mentorship and guidance. Something we can give back.
The power of empathy
Think of a business or creative person you really admire. What qualities do they possess? How do they behave towards others?
Cultish, blind demagoguery doesn’t come into it. The people who have the most impact on us – whom we always remember – are amazing at what they do. They’re original, brilliant, inspiring.
But they’re also invariably kind. They make others feel good. They teach and listen.
Empathy is a such a powerful place from which to operate. It manifests in truly productive ways. When we connect and hear, we can serve well. Collaboration becomes able to withstand challenge because it’s built on a bedrock of recognition and trust. It’s more open to authentic exchange because safety is present.
Covid-19 is still plaguing us, it won’t go away anytime soon. These are hard times, but there is hope for us ahead if we can pull together, support each other and are open to that challenge.
If we remember how we as individuals want to be remembered, and can work towards that goal.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to build bridges, not walls. From wherever we are now, the only way is up.
The Serialist 