John R. Hatfield “The things which hurt, instruct” Benjamin Franklin. In today’s leadership culture brokenness is not a quality leaders desire or pursue. The most significant qualities touted of being a leader do not include brokenness. In many minds, brokenness corresponds with weakness or failure, but not strength. Every failure succeeds in some way. It provides the opportunity not only to be humble but also to be gentle with the failure of others. “There is more power in sharing our weaknesses than our strengths”, Brennan Manning. People need to hear and see leaders take responsibility for their mistakes. Honesty builds trust and admitting failure makes one more human and humane. “Beyond creating trust and collaborative atmosphere, Goffee and Jones (2000). There are a multitude of reasons and places where brokenness occurs, AKA Brokenness in high school consisted of girlfriends, sports, and my dad. In college, it came in not knowing who I was, and dumb ass decisions. Later in life a broken marriage because of my adultery, financial ruin, inflictor of pain on my children and friends, and being fired from a 27-year career. Painful yes, shattering absolutely, regretful of course. But I’m different, I persevered, I became resilient. I’m better. I understand what it means to be mettle. Our calling is to come along side you, shoulder-to-shoulder, heart-to-heart, and help you master yourself, enter your fear arenas professionally, personally, and relationally calling out your BRAVE and strengthen you to embody certain brave ass virtues needed to persevere life’s adversities.The Crucible of Brokenness
communicating weakness also builds solidarity between followers and leaders”
from dishonesty, self-centeredness, power welding, lies, arrogance, immature
people skills, selfishness, stubbornness, unwillingness to be a team player,
the infatuation of self, addiction, sexual misconduct, unresolved anger issues, poor
self-image, unwillingness to change, always having to be right, and abuse.
Brokenness occurs in the family, business world, organization, marriage, work team,
and in friendship. All intersect at one road, one journey that ultimately ends in tragedy. As a life coach, I have had the honor of helping broken leaders realize their life can change if they look at failure differently. As John Maxwell (2000)
states, “You have the potential to overcome any problems, mistakes, or misfortunes. All you have to do is learn to fail forward.” And Bennis and Thomas (2000) state, “our recent research has led us to conclude that one of the most reliable indicators and predictors of true leadership is an individual’s ability to find meaning in negative events and to learn from even the most trying circumstances. Put another way, the skills required conquering adversity and emerging stronger and more committed than ever are the same ones that make for extraordinary leaders.”
