The full title of this essay published in a small book format by the Center for Creative Leadership and written by Wilfred H. Drath and Charles J. Palus is:
MAKING COMMON SENSE
Leadership as Meaning-Making
in a Community of Practice
The essay essentially explains the title. The whole essay rings very true for me.
- Leadership is the practice of making meaning, making common sense (making basic, unbiased observations) in the context of a group of people seeking meaning in their togetherness, all practicing making meaning (feeling useful and On Purpose) together.
- Making meaning together is all of our jobs, to be practiced perpetually.
What this means to me is: we are all here to observe through a specific lens (the lens of our talents, attention, and personal, current vision, mission, and purpose) and feed into the common sense of what is going on. As frustrating (and detrimental) as it can be to have convincing evidence of something and nowhere responsible/responsive to put our wisdom, it is our responsibility as leaders to find out where the information we naturally gather, goes, so that all can benefit.
