The Force is Centered around Why: Introducing a Living Jedi Master

“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s words hold more meaning NOW than they did when I first heard them many years ago. Back then, Star Wars (for me) was all about the lightsabers. The force was cool and all. but it never felt tangible. Lightsabers, on the other hand, were real… because we could invent them – kid logic. Simply put, life experience has brought deeper meaning to once-shallow words.

From my perspective, the quote above pertains to leadership. Our galaxy is our team. The leader can only point to the team’s energy once they are connected and belong. There are many ways to bring a team together but the most genuine way is to treat everyone like the individuals they are. People like to know that their skills are unique and can serve a specific purpose for the betterment of the team. Focus on supporting your team’s development and you’ll see the amazing things they’ll do for the organization…as long as they know why they should do it.

It was Dr. Jonathan Bilal Abdullah, Ed. D, AMFT who made that all click for me. He practiced what he preached LONG before he received his distinguished titles. JB tied leadership to being a Jedi and being a Jedi at 26 sounded fun. While Jedi Master JB didn’t come with lightsabers (lame), he DID provide laminated sheets of paper with different coaching styles. Each set was a tool to help solve for “why”. Because once humans know the “why”, they are more committed to getting the job done.

The truth of it is, that I didn’t have many male role models in my life. JB had a Jedi-like swagger to him with an even bigger Mamba Mentality. Only good things can come from a mentorship like this. I’m grateful he welcomed it. I’ve seen too many people come into the workforce without any guidance or mentorship. At young ages, people look to their employer to provide a sense of direction and development.

KIND LEADER EXAMPLE

I’m in awe of the amount of knowledge one person can pass along in a short period. It was never about a promotion chase with JB. He wasn’t constantly dangling a carrot in front of me to get production and results – as was the common practice at Wells Fargo in those days. I saw a lot of Leaders, who were top producers themselves, exert their influence to show people how to be successful. “Follow me and I’ll get you there” they would say. That felt like more of a wish and wishing can only get you so far in life.

JB’s skill development focus for me was genuinely role-modeling the tougher conversations. That is ACTUAL skill development. I never had a stomach for confrontation and I’m not sure it will. JB saw a gap in needing confidence in my skills to have an honest, productive conversation. We attacked it head-on. He didn’t take the time to just “talk through it”, we reviewed all possible conversation routes. Not because I asked….but because he offered. Much like a wise Jedi Master should. JB brought me a ton of clarity and purpose when he showed me how to be kind, genuine, and action-oriented when having those difficult conversations.

Be human. Wild stuff.

Those lamented packets weren’t the classic leader “print and never reference again” type resources. It would be layered into every single coaching interaction. We learned about Andragogy (we learn and do when we know why) and SL II (tying appropriate coaching to skill-specific needs). He taught us about ROI and how it relates to your people, as they were the true investment. These were methods that led to tangible skill development, that I learned with JB and now leverage throughout life.

JB helped me realize, within myself, that as long as my intent is pure-natured and communication is clear and respectful (kind), I have permission to relentlessly chase what I desire. It was Kobe’s Mamba Mentality epitomized and told leaders to never stop attacking.

Invest in your people and develop their skills. Connect with your team and make them feel good about their contributions. Show them WHY the skills are important and how to leverage them and the FORCE is at your service – binding the galaxy together.

Just as the bank’s “culture” was evolving, JB Abdullah would go on to bigger and better things. His presence was constant. The skills I learned from him will go on to lead some successful sales teams. Some people come into your life with a clearly defined purpose, it’s on us to listen. I’m grateful he taught me to do just that.

“For My Ally is the Force and a Powerful Ally It Is.”

Yoda

If you’re curious about this Jedi Master, you can learn about Dr. Jonathan on his site mindSOLVE. His podcast is worth checking out if you’re into leadership development. I guarantee you it’ll make the Jedi Master thing click.