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Seek Sanctuary

"Having a readily available sanctuary provides an indispensable physical anchor and source of sustenance.  You would never attempt a difficult mountain journey without food or water, yet countless people go into the practice of leadership without reserving and conserving a place where they can gather and restore themselves.

A sanctuary is a place of reflection and renewal, where you can listen to yourself away from the dance floor and the blare of the music, where you can reaffirm your deeper sense of self and purpose.  It's different from the balcony, where you go to get a wider perspective on dynamics of your leadership efforts.  Analyzing from the balcony can be hard work.  In a sanctuary, you are out of that world entirely, in a place where you feel safe both physically and psychologically.  The rules and stresses of everyday life are suspended temporarily.  It is not a place to hide, but a haven where you can cool down, capture lessons from painful moments, and put yourself back together (Heifetz & Linsky, 2002, p. 204)."

Reference:  Heifetz, R.A. & Linsky, M.  (2002).  Leadership on the line: staying alive through the dangers of leading.  Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Does your organization reap the benefits of recognition?

Leadership On the Line is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/

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Created: 2008-04-02, Updated: 2008-11-12