Tim Denning in a recent article in Forbes Magazine, would describe people with the following traits as "agile". Individuals and companies who live by these adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

• I am obsessed with adding value: to my family, friends, community, company and customers.

• I believe in round tables, not hierarchical power-based structures.

• I am committed to small, agile guiding coalitions so I can leverage their insights and competencies.

They have what Cheryl Michaels, one of our security community leaders, calls a "Kairos" mindset. A snippet of Cheryl’s interview can be found under Conversations in Security on this website. Use the search bar to quickly locate our session: The Kairos Leader.

Ideas matter. If you want to change the world you must be aware of the stories within and beyond your field of view.

According to Cheryl, to change it, we need to learn how to see clearly, especially in sweeping moments of change. The cards are stacked against us. Our brains are excellent muscles that process information efficiently based on experiences. But those same experiences create learned behaviors that teach us how to see and what to see. And before we know it, we miss the nuances of a moment or a time. Moments matter. They may represent existential threats or entrepreneurial opportunities… or both.

But when we see them, the chances are, they are not seen by others. And this is where leadership kicks in.

We not only need to be able to see, but we also need to have the skills to communicate to others what we see, in their language, in their moment.

A “Kairos” leader cares deeply about their purpose. For Cheryl, it is the security and safety of others. A “Kairos” leader cares deeply about what others are seeing and hearing. This leads to a fuller perspective; and a rich dialogue.
And a “Kairos” leader does not shut down a conversation based on their title.

Your Kairos leader will have an imaginative series of conversations that anticipate the unexpected leading to a mindset muscle that immediately grasps a moment with unusual clarity and resources.

Cheryl will revisit us again soon to provide more clarity on how she is moving into her own Kairos mindset and how she might teach us to do the same.