"Leading from Within"

Parker Palmer is the author of the 16th Chapter from Insights on Leadership titled "Leading from Within". His essay is full of noteworthy quotations. One insight that struck a cord with me is about the need for leaders to help us through the shadows.

“Great leadership comes from people who have made that downward journey through violence and terror, who have touched the deep place where we are in community with each other, and who can help take the rest of us to that place. That is what great leadership is all about.”

To be an effective leader, one needs to face our shadows. According to Palmer, these shadows include insecurity, hostile universe, functional atheism, fear and denial of death. Until we shed some light on the shadows, we cannot know our true selves.