Rounds of applause come and go along our leadership journeys. We feel the exhilarating encouragement of the audible applause and the deafening silence in its absence. The highs and lows of leadership affirmed by the clapping of hands…or not.
Rounds of Applause
I keep a running list of blog topics on my iPhone. On a weekend when I don’t have a concept that has emerged, I go back and revisit the list. Usually, I have a title and a few bullet points that help me remember why I thumbed that one in at that particular point in time. This note just read, “Rounds of Applause.”
It made me think though. Why the plural form of round? It’s usually a round (singular) of applause. Are there different “rounds” of applause that we experience in our leadership journey? Here are the four that came to mind:
The Obligatory
The round of obligatory applause comes when people must. When we have arrived at the point of positional leadership that it is a necessary requirement of those we serve. It could be after delivering remarks to an audience or when we are recognized by name and title in front of a crowd.
People clap because they have to. It’s honorable, but lacks meaning. A required recognition.
The Ovation
The round of most meaningful applause comes when it is deserved. The most genuine form of recognition. After the delivery of a speech that moves people or the receipt of a well-deserved award.
People clap because it is sincere. It’s authentic and meaningful. People rise to their feet in recognition of our service to others. It’s genuine adoration of our efforts.
The Absence Of
The round of no applause is the loneliest season of leadership. The absence of clapping produces discouragement. The noticeable silence that lacks affirming applause.
People stop clapping because we are taken for granted, our tenured words become repetitive, and our value may not be truly appreciated unless we are physically absent. With silence, a message of being underappreciated is received. Our service to others can feel undervalued. It’s the season in which the rounds of applause come less and less.
The Send Off
The round of final applause is the most noticed. It’s the reality that one season has come to a close. Finality exists when the applause ends.
This round of applause is reserved for transitions and retirements. It’s a stark reality marked with conclusion, yet offers a new beginning. People are at the point of appreciating where you have brought them on the journey. It’s the loudest form of applause.
Conclusion – The Applause for Others
We either HAVE or WILL walk through these four rounds of applause. It’s a natural evolution of leadership.
We will also Cross the Line of leadership where the applause we receive shouldn’t matter anymore. It’s the point where we recognize that success is second to service. It’s not about us, it’s about others.
Applause is deflected in the direction of the people we serve. We are always clapping for them, even when all the other applause fades away. Being for others fuels us forward, even in the absence of our own needed applause.
Great leaders serve selflessly, not selfishly. The faster we realize this, the less ordinary we remain. Putting others before oneself is uncommon in leadership. Our ability to look different than the world sets us apart.
People simply desire to follow good people. While they follow us, they are driven by the most critical round of applause…ours. The round of applause that lifts, elevates, inspires, motivates, encourages, and expresses gratitude. It’s more important than any round of applause that we will ever receive and will drown out the disappointment of the applause we never received.
Be a person worth following…our applause awaits.
