MODERN LEADERSHIP
own ignorance).
To make progress, we must avoid
success. It’s tempting to declare
victory, and to feel as though we
have ‘made it’. But pioneering
leaders know this is an infinite game
we’re playing—one with no finish line.
You always have more opportunities
to learn, grow and develop to stay
relevant. Sure—you’ll have small
wins along the way. But constructive
discontent is a constant companion.
There’s always more to do, and more
to explore.
3
uncertain future. By seeking the
safety of familiar, evidence-based
approaches and solid numbers
to assess probability, they simple
reduce the range of possible future
contexts they are willing to explore.
Such an approach does not produce
any distinct strategic advantage—it
merely produces the same set of
options your competitors have.
Brilliant pioneering leaders invest
significant effort into the exploration
of both probable and possible
futures. They build and lead rich,
antifragile work cultures that value
curiosity, empathy and imagination.
And—by venturing beyond the realms
of probability—such leaders unlock
the potential for unique, gamechanging strategic advantage.
Ahoy the paradox
Embracing this type of pioneering
leadership means embracing several
paradoxical notions. These may
seem to be absurd and seemingly
contradictory propositions, but each
harbours progressive wisdom.
32 ModernBusiness
April 2016
1 To gain certainty, we must
embrace uncertainty. Where
the operationally-driven leader
manufactures an artificial sense of
certainty—often in the form of clear
targets and goals—the pioneering
leader feels no such need. As such
a leader, you’re comfortable making
progress while only having a fuzzy
sense of the potential destination.
You don’t wait for clarity or perfect
plans before acting. Rather, you
progress into uncertainty with
adaptability and risk mastery,
learning along the way.
2 To build conviction, we must
embrace doubt. German philosopher
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
once said that ‘doubt grows with
knowledge’. And Aristotle is said to
have once quipped, ‘the more you
know, the more you know you don’t
know’. Whereas some might claim
to have all of the right answers,
pioneering leaders instead value
asking the right questions (which, in
turn, makes us less ignorant of our
The future is infinitely complex and
uncertain. And we’re all busy. But it
won’t be incremental improvements
and time-saving efficiencies that
secure our future. It’ll be the ones
willing to quest beyond the default,
to find and unlock new pathways
to value and relevance. It’ll be
the pioneering leaders that build
tomorrow.
Dr Jason Fox is modern day wizardrogue, speaker, advisor, bestselling
author of The Game Changer, and the
author of the newly released book:
How to Lead a Quest – a handbook
for pioneering executives. With deep
expertise in motivation design, Jason’s
work unlocks pioneering leadership
amongst high performing teams. His
clients include the adventurous senior
executives of Fortune 500 and ASX 200
companies. Visit www.drjasonfox.com