Uplifting Leadership: How Organizations, Teams, and Communities Raise Performance

Chapter FourPushing and Pulling

With Kathryn Ghent

For the most part, the Commodore on the quarterdeck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. He thinks he breathes it first; but not so. In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things, at the same time that the leaders little suspect it.

—Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Pulling Together

Uplift requires the efforts of every member of the group, not just one or two. It needs a strong and committed crew. Those who don’t contribute and take on collective responsibility for the uplift drag things down. Uplifting leadership entails engaging a talented team that values risk and creativity, acknowledges and tolerates honest mistakes, and ...