How Leaders Learn” – A Masonic Reflection
As you know masonry
is dedicated to the principles of light, truth, and continual improvement. Tonights
topic is inspired by the book How Leaders Learn by David Novak. While
not written for Masons, it echoes many of our core beliefs—that true leadership
begins within, and that wisdom is something we must continually seek.
1. Learn
from Your Upbringing
Our journey
starts with self-awareness. Each of us was shaped by our upbringing—our
families, communities, and early life experiences. The values we inherited form
the foundation of who we are today. But being a leader requires us to pause and
ask: What beliefs do I hold? Where did they come from? And are
they helping me grow or holding me back?
As
Freemasons, we are taught to “know thyself.” This is where leadership begins.
2. Learn
from Change
Change is
rarely comfortable. But it is always rich with opportunity. Novak identifies
four sources of opportunity: new knowledge, new ideas, new people, and new
influences. When we embrace these, we grow not just in skill, but in
character. As Masons, we are encouraged to seek more light—this means welcoming
change, not resisting it.
Choose your
environment wisely. Surround yourself with those who uplift you, who challenge
you, and who help you thrive.
3. Learn
from Others
No man is
complete on his own. One of the most powerful forms of learning is through
others—especially those who possess strengths we do not. Novak speaks of six
“working geniuses talents” these are
1.
Get
things done talents, always wonder and consider the possibilities, look for
potential opportunites.
2.
Discerning
and evaluation, alanluze ideas and situation.
3.
Galvanizing.
Organizing and inspiring others to
action.
4.
Enablement. Providing encouragement and assistance.
5.
Tenacity.
Pushing projects to completion.
6.
Active
Learning. The love of helping others fill their gaps.
Then seek out Brothers or mentors who can help
you close your own gaps.
This is
Brotherhood in action.
4. Learn
from Truth-Tellers
This one is
hard. We often say we want the truth—but do we really? Remember the quote from
the movie? “You can’t handle the truth”. Hearing it can sting. And yet, truth is
essential to growth. Surround yourself with those who will tell you not just
what you want to hear—but what you need to hear. And just as
importantly, be that kind of Brother for others. Speak the truth, with love and
humility.
As we’re
taught in the lodge: honesty is the best policy, and truth is the foundation of
every virtue.
5. Learn
from Crisis
When the
storms of life hit—and they will—leaders rise. Crisis teaches resilience. If
handled with integrity, it can even strengthen trust. Novak advises us: in
crisis, tell the truth, explain what happened, and how it won’t happen
again. No spin. No blame. Just leadership.
6. Learn
from Winning
Often, we’re
so focused on what went wrong that we forget to study what went right.
Learning from success requires humility, too. Ask yourself: What did I do
well? What can I repeat? In the
book “Good to Great” they looked at best practices of many companies and then
determined what actionable items can be done by others.
We can look
at what other lodges are doing well and see if there is something we can do
also. That is a great reason why we need
to Travel more. I got the idea of the
sick and distress tressleboard from PeeWee Valley Lodge.
There is joy
in winning—not a prideful joy, but the satisfaction that comes from a job well
done. As Masons, we must learn not only from our rough stones, but from the
work already made smooth.
7. Learn
from Failure
No man
builds a perfect temple. We all stumble. But failure is not a final
destination—it’s a teacher. Learn the lesson. Then rise. That’s how we move
forward. Not by shame—but by wisdom earned through experience.
8. Learn
to Listen
And finally,
one of the most underrated skill of all: listening. Not just hearing—but
listening with intent. With presence. With compassion. Listening is how we
honor one another. It’s how we learn. It’s how we lead.
Develop a “Be
here now” mentality”, be an active listener. The person in front of you may be
your next great teacher.
In closing,
remember this: learning is not something that ends with degrees, titles, or
years. It is a way of life. And leadership is not about command—it is about growth,
service, and truth.
So let us be
leaders who learn, and learners who lead.
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