According to a September report by CNBC, ninety percent of all companies will return to the office by the end of 2024. Navigating this topic is one of many issues for those tasked with leading direct reports, multiple divisions, or entire organizations. The cumulative effects of these challenges can foster enough fog and uncertainty that one may ask, “For what does this mantle matter?” For even the most disciplined leader, when demands reach this inflection point, it usually signals a need to return to HOME.
For clarity and grounding purposes, in this sense, HOME is not an abode (although it could be), nor does it refer to the return from the home offices to corporate layouts. The definition of HOME here is – that which nourishes the soul. This is not a woo-woo notion; it is steadfast and usually tangible. For some, it might be a round of golf; for others, doing so would be a good walk spoiled, so instead, they head out for a run in the crisp fall air. For others still, a quiet afternoon in a library, with a strong coffee and one’s thoughts, spells HOME. And yet, for others, such an exercise would be akin to watching paint dry, preferring an impromptu PUG, or shinny is their ideal HOME.
Irrespective of how HOME is defined, the demands of the leadership role are tamed by returning to it. On the significance of going HOME, Ryan Holiday elaborates, “Don’t let the momentum in your other pursuits fool you into thinking you no longer need it…[ensure] you’re paying the proper respects.” Ultimately, the leader who remains plagued by questions may need further iterative considerations; however, it is far likelier that suitable time spent going to the HOME that sustains, should have been given.
In the end, we may find, regardless of our definitions of home, or Home, or even HOME, that its true meaning is what Egyptian Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz defined as “Home is…where all your attempts to escape come to an end.” #Leadership #HOME #Home #home