Watching good leaders
Leaders set the tone.
One of the most powerful things I’ve learned watching good leaders is this: they set the tone. Years ago, I was part of a team that poured our hearts into an annual show—thirty of us following our fearless director. Opening night came and went, and the reviews were brutal. Not just the execution—the vision itself was called shallow. It stung.
We gathered afterward for what felt more like an autopsy than a debrief. I’d been around leaders who got defensive, who shifted blame, who turned critique into shame. But this director didn’t. The first words out of her mouth were, “I’m sorry. I cast a poor vision. I was so focused on getting it done and making it shiny that I missed what mattered.”
Humility in a leader is magnetic. And lately, the version of humility I can’t stop thinking about is the leader who actually listens. Leaders set the emotional weather. When you choose curiosity over defensiveness, connection over correction, listening over locking in—you show everyone around you that relationship is still possible, even across deep differences. You prove that conversations don’t have to break us; with care, they can draw us in and change us.
Ready to lead?
1. Be inspired
2. Sit down to a Conversation
2. Sit down to a Conversation
Watch two videos below: 1) One Step video, 2) TED Talk "10 Ways to Have Better Conversations." Explore what happens when strangers with opposing views connect through personal stories, not politics.
2. Sit down to a Conversation
2. Sit down to a Conversation
2. Sit down to a Conversation
Engage in 1-3 conversations (40-50 minutes each), either in person or remotely, with someone outside your usual social circle— someone who represents a different perspective from you.
3. Create a Reflective Piece
3. Create a Reflective Piece
3. Create a Reflective Piece
Then, create an artistic piece—poetry, visual art, video, or writing—reflecting your experience, the power of storytelling, or how relationships challenge bias. Ensure it aligns with the Linden Collective's mission and save it as a PDF, image, or video.
4. Submit Your Artwork
3. Create a Reflective Piece
3. Create a Reflective Piece
Submitting Your Artistic Reflection Piece To fulfill the leadership requirements for the Linden Collective, follow these simple steps:
- Email to: thelindencollective@gmail.com
- Subject Line: Name, Title of your Piece
- Body of the email: Contact information & Brief Description of your piece
5. start a Story Circle
