“Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth.”

- Ludwig Borne (1786-1837)

In my last post, I shared my definition of a real leader as someone who’s animating genius longs to create something for the greatest good, which is ultimately accomplished with, for and through others. Animating genius was the term I used to refer to that core part of each of us that is divinely inspired and carries all the seeds of our potential.

That part of us which is true and limitless is always accompanied by a side that is illusory and defined by our experiences, judgments and beliefs about who we need to be or what we need to do to be successful. I will refer to this part of ourselves, for lack of a better term, as the shadow.

When we stand in the light we see clearly who and what we are. But when we look at our shadows we see also the projection of those things we carry along with us that are not truly integrated.

In contrast to our animating genius, which has within all that it needs to realize greatness, our shadow introduces and exaggerates limitation and deficiency. It believes that in order to be complete, it must prove something, acquire something, or change something. Being predominantly focused on lack, our shadow is centered in fear – mostly fear of losing some external source of gratification: control, influence, power, money status, approval, recognition, etc. This fear of loss is augmented by a scarcity mentality, which tells us that if someone wins (or gains something), we will lose (or get less of what we want.)

Our shadows don’t stop at seeing themselves as deficient and incomplete; they also recognize and call attention to this perceived deficiency in others. While animating genius sees and brings out the best in everyone and everything, our shadow often builds itself up by breaking others down and by differentiating itself from others, as opposed to seeing the ways in which it is inherently connected.

Before leaders can partner with their shadows to accomplish the greatest good, they must first become aware of and familiar with them.

In Part II of The Leader’s Shadow, we will explore additional aspects of the shadow and its implications for leadership.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden