Written by: Kylie Mort, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Recently, I watched an Australian documentary that made me feel heartbroken and helpless. Heartbroken as the pain was palpable, the contradictions infuriatingly obvious, and the ignorance truly horrifying. I watched as journalists and commentators I have agreed with on so many topical issues crossed a line I thought no educated community member could see as anything but a hard barrier.
I felt helpless as it was emotionally exhausting. I am not the type of character to feel shame for the actions of others. I do not shoulder blame for events I took no part in and could not possibly have influenced in any way. Yet, I do feel compassion, sorrow, and pain for those who are wounded. I do feel the burning of injustice, and my heart bleeds for those who suffer.
I felt feebly insignificant considering the sheer magnitude of the change necessary for a
sustainable and equitable society. How do you influence the perspectives of the masses?
How do you inject rational, logical conclusions based on education and knowledgeable consideration of context and history? It is a conundrum so close to the core of my vocation in education and one that echoes throughout the complexity of the Australian community.
All change must start with a single step in a positive direction. All change must start with one person taking a stand. All change must start with self-reflection and self-improvement and being the change we wish to see reflected in our society. We can all focus on being good leaders for a brighter future.
Step 1: Call out the problem. A good leader will perceive an issue and illustrate to those around them that this is what the problem looks like. Systemic issues are so often overlooked because they are so familiar, and we simply learn to work around them. Yet what if we were to remove the issue? How much healthier and more productive could we be if we did not have to walk around a problem on the path to our goal?
Example: An man calls out the injustice of casual discrimination in the workplace
Step 2: Highlight the core of the problem. Within any culture and community, there will be those that are close to the problem, perhaps even unknowingly perpetuating the problem. There will be tension, and people may feel personally vilified or threatened. It is important to remain compassionate and focus on changing the problem, not blaming the individuals involved. Ensure you are clear in your communication that you are addressing a community issue, not persecuting community members.
Example: This man repeatedly reaffirms that he does not blame the community member, but he would like to address the community ethos
Step 3: Highlight the scope of the problem. If we are to effectively work on a problem, we need to understand it. We need to consider the contextual and historical influences that have led to this current situation. A leader must ensure they fully understand a topic before expressing their opinion because, as a leader, they need to be guiding the interpretation of others. If the addressing of a problem lacks effective and knowledgeable leadership, a collective may be manipulated by the sheer volume of the emotive and the ignorant.
Example: The man is harassed, bullied, and targeted by a community who feel intimidated by their limitations
Step 4: Identify who is affected by the problem. Successful leadership must include genuine empathy for other perspectives. A leader will acknowledge and explore the perspectives of all those affected by the problem, particularly perspectives they do not personally identify with. Emotional intelligence is displaying the self-awareness and self-regulation of personal prejudices that influence perspectives. To understand the motivations of all those involved and display the interpersonal skills that will promote positive change in the face of division and disunity. If effective leaders cannot support the individuals affected by the problem, these individuals will suffer unfairly.
Example: The man is left to suffer without support from the leadership team as he is persecuted for highlighting an individual case of casual discrimination that has now led to a vicious campaign of targeted abuse
Step 5: Admit when you are wrong and take responsibility for your actions. We are all human, and we are all fallible. Some make mistakes they are immediately ashamed of. Some make mistakes that they cannot recognize without assistance. An effective leader will not euphemize their actions nor redirect attention from their failings. Acknowledging how one contributes to the problem shows humility, respect, and a genuine concern for resolution.
Example: A community leader blatantly ridicules the man and perpetuates the injustice. His hypocritical lip service enabling the abusers.
Step 6: Acknowledge why the problem needs to be addressed. Even when it is uncomfortable to do so because nothing changes if nothing changes, it is the role of the effective leader to ask hard questions and make difficult decisions. Facing the problem and ensuring a resolution that supports the community is pivotal to effective leadership. An unaddressed, known problem is a sign of apathy and tunnel-vision. For long-term success, a leader must ensure the health and unity of the entire community.
Example: Another community leader refuses to acknowledge the discrimination. This bystander apathy, known as The Bystander Effect, results in further harm.
Step 7: Identify who needs to be protected from the problem. A leader will support those whose position is not as privileged or secure as their own. Any community is comprised of people of varying degrees of wealth, opportunity, and advantage. An effective leader needs to safeguard the well-being of all those in their community. At its minimum, to safeguard productivity, at its best, to display genuine altruism. If someone is being systematically discriminated against and abused within the community, the leader must act.
Example: The highest-ranking leader of the company continues to perpetuate the bystander apathy as the man’s career and mental health is systematically destroyed.
Step 8: Identify what needs to be understood about the problem. It is important to respect the culture of others, regardless of your personal understanding of it. Communities of modern global culture are increasingly a complex blend of cultural backgrounds, and it is critical to be respectful. There is a vast difference between genuine ignorance and deliberate insensitivity, and it is the role of the leader to be well-informed about the cultural needs of the people they lead. A lack of leadership will result in divided opinions based on inaccuracies and assumptions.
Example: The community continues to target the conduct of the man with a range of prejudiced inaccuracies and assumptions. The man continues in his attempts to re-establish his value in the company as the vitriol escalates.
Step 9: Identify how the community can work as a team to resolve the problem. A leader must honestly admit the prejudices of themselves and their community so they can be accountable and purposeful in their own position.
Example: Empathetic and educated community leaders highlight systemic attitudes and call for a more knowledgeable approach that would focus on unity and understanding. Yet, their voices are not to be heard over the mindless jeers of the ignorant. The man is forced to leave his career. The community has succeeded in the suppression of a minority voice that gently suggested self-reflection.
Step 10: Watch “The Final Quarter.” It is the case study analyzed in the abovesaid examples. Goodes rose as a leader in a battle against the problem. He was articulate, compassionate, and constructive in the face of the problem. The community rose as a united front supporting the problem. Community leaders refused to acknowledge their support of the problem. Community leaders failed to address the problem. It was ultimately a David and Goliath battle, and Goodes was destroyed by the problem and its supporters. How could it have played out differently? Leadership.
10 Step to Being a Good Leader:
Call out injustice
Remain compassionate about sensitivities
Ensure you understand a topic before expressing your opinion
Have empathy for other perspectives
Admit when you are wrong and take responsibility for your actions
Acknowledge issues, even when they are uncomfortable
Support those whose position is not as privileged as your own
Respect the culture of others, regardless of your understanding of it
Honestly, admit the prejudices of your community so you can be accountable and purposeful in your own position
Watch “The Final Quarter” for a case study of consequences
Kylie Mort, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kylie Mort works with individuals of all ages to embrace and support the Academic Mind, Self-Awareness & the Mind-Body Connection. Assisting individuals by tailoring bespoke mentoring packages supporting academic, physical, and personal advancement and success.
Kylie is an International Author and Writer for Global Magazines, writing both academically and creatively to connect with those who seek guidance and inspiration to be their best selves. A former Secondary School Teacher & VCE Leader with 20 years of teaching experience, Kylie is a qualified & registered: School Teacher, Yoga Teacher & Performance Coach. She is also an entrepreneur, leading multiple-award-winning companies.
She is currently studying Psychological Science at Deakin University to provide holistic mentoring to her clients better, having spent decades honing her skills in face-to-face teaching, mentoring, and business & company development. Now, she is focused on the human mind and its power to empower through reimaging, redesigning, and recreating.
