What does it actually take to lead?
I was recently a guest on the Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King
— author, speaker, and culture-builder whose work is dedicated to helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams without losing the heart behind the work. Right in my wheelhouse.
We talked about what I learned from decades in humanitarian emergencies — in places where the infrastructure is gone and the chaos continues. In those environments, the best leaders did one thing right: they listened. They stayed close to the people most affected. That's where empathy comes from: proximity.
On the podcast I said that leaders with power, resources, and decision-making authority have got to listen — especially to women on the ground. Because listening leads to understanding, understanding leads to empathy, and empathy doesn't leave you. You can't unknow what you've heard.
We're in a political moment that feels more fractured than ever. It is chaos. And no, we're not listening to the voices that really matter.
I've been thinking about what we can learn from this type of Chaos Leadership. More on this coming — including a whole framework, drawn from the frontlines, the world's greatest leadership laboratory. Stay tuned for that soon.
[There's a video I wanted to post, but it won't let me do it. It's here on my LinkedIn for those who want to see it: https://www.linkedin.com/posts..../linaabirafeh_leader