The Odyssey of Leadership

When we cross turbulent seas and navigate uncharted territory, real or metaphorical, an ally can be extremely valuable in avoiding the reefs and walking each other home.

​When a leader becomes aware of a gap between where they are and where they want to be, they can consider making a concerted effort to move and intentionally address the change that was already seeking to manifest itself. They are now inhabited, like the famous poet Paul van Ostaijen, by the question: “What can I do that has not yet been done?” They too hum in the morning shower: “I want to be naked / and begin.”

Sometimes the catalyst for change seems to be a particular event, repeated comments from colleagues, or simply a feeling of malaise that uncomfortably prolongs into a sensation that thinking is blocked and stuck in a loop.

Departure is the first step of the journey, as the leader recognizes their need for change as a call from afar and dares to leave behind some of the ways of operating that were previously comfortably familiar. The second step is the actual journey, a period of transition during which the leader travels through landscapes shrouded in mist and enveloped in fog. They encounter obstacles and face trials that open a path to transformation. Free, they have the right to be confused and make errors. Finally, there is the return, during which the leader gradually, almost imperceptibly, arrives at a new understanding of who they are and what kind of leader they want to be.

The leader who dares to take time out of the shadows of the “strategic control room” to contemplate the territory as a whole, beyond the map, and acquire new perspectives from “the top of the mast”, accelerates the deployment of the change process. By taking a higher view, they face the situation more globally, discover the perimeter of obstacles that previously seemed insurmountable, learn more about their inevitable failures, and gain a better understanding of what triggers their sudden impulses as well as their final decisions that had seemed so well thought out.

By regularly taking the time to consider the environment from new perspectives, confronting long-dreaded and sometimes unsuspected questions, facing the vague anxiety that unexpectedly visits them, but also welcoming the wonder of their old buried dreams, and daring to listen to them whisper their desire, the leader discovers a clearer vision that opens the way to a new, inspired and inspiring leadership, carried by a surge of life that simultaneously emerges within them.

Small victories gradually emerge, more frequently than usual, and when the leader consciously accepts them, they gradually shift their motivation from necessity (“I must be a better leader.”) to possibility (“I am working on the impact of my leadership because it will help me achieve my goals.”) and identity (“I am working to improve my leadership because that is what I want to be.”). As Herminia Ibarra, Claudius Hildebrand, and Sabine Vinck pointed out in a recent Harvard Business Review article that inspired this text (The Leadership Odyssey, May-June 2023), these subtle changes help the leader become more reflective and persevering — invaluable traits for anyone navigating the inevitable tumults of any human expedition.

Long before the establishment of direct democracy in Athens, Homer’s “Odyssey” was already teaching the ancient Greeks to recognize good leaders, animated by reciprocal, generous, responsible leadership that respected its obligations. Until then, it might have seemed obvious that the autocratic reign of warlords, kings, and tyrants was the only conceivable option, with the only truth being that of power and its heightened need for blind loyalty and obedience.

Long ago, Ulysses, then a young husband and father, went off to wage war against the city of Troy far from home. Though a fervent fighter who did not shy away from battles, Ulysses was not pleased to leave his island west of mainland Greece to embark on a risky and uncertain journey into the unknown of Asia Minor. During a voyage that lasted longer than initially imagined and desired, Ulysses encountered monsters, devourers, enchanters, and even the wrath of Poseidon. Upon his return, he could not avoid the Sirens, whose hypnotic voices enchanted sailors to the point of luring them to their death. It was the magician Circe, a Ulysses ally who had his best interests at heart, who warned him of the presence of the Sirens and who inspired him, if he wanted to listen to their songs, to ask for the help of his crew, ordering them to tie him to the mast of the ship, then to plug their ears with beeswax.

When we cross turbulent seas, real or metaphorical, an ally, or a group of allies, can be extremely useful in helping us prevent failures and define adequate means to overcome obstacles. An ally whispers in our ear, close to us, accompanying our reflection in the face of challenges encountered, and sometimes blows in our sails, carrying us forward. An ally does not relieve us of our responsibilities, but improves our chances of effectively and more serenely facing the important changes that constitute the stages of our lives, and navigating safely to a safe port. Ulysses did not choose to face and overcome the Sirens alone. Circe and his crew supported his journey and watched over him. Ulysses had the humility to think that he did not have everything in hand.

To effectively cross uncharted territories, it is sometimes beneficial for a leader “at the helm” to be able to call on an ally who has his best interests at heart, as he navigates the changes encountered within his organization, and sometimes simply to have an attentive partner of reflection, to walk each other home, while having these difficult yet so useful conversations to avoid reefs.

Do you want to clarify your situation, remove blocks holding you back, and forge new paths towards meaningful change?

As an organizational psychologist and executive coach, a graduate of INSEAD’s Executive Master in Consulting and Coaching for Change, trained at Hult Ashridge, with extensive executive experience in Swiss and international companies, I provide a reflective and experiential space to address your leadership challenges.

By exploring and better understanding human behavior here and now, both conscious and unconscious, and how it affects your leadership as well as the functioning of your teams and organization, new options will emerge and you will become freer in your choices.