We were lucky enough to be in the UK for the week, seeing a new Prime Minister and a new Monarch in that sequence. The most significant of the two is, of course, the passing of the Throne from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III. This is not the place to discuss the relevance of the Monarchy in 2022, and I will not try.
Each of us has our view on that subject, but for non-British people who feel it has no relevance in this century, I wish you could have watched and listened to the people of the UK talk about how they felt. Too much analysis from the US has been superficial and, frankly, a little ignorant.
However, instead of making either of those cases, I want to make a few observations about the Queen and her leadership style.
What can we learn?
The most significant mark of her reign, and probably the second most talked about, was her sense of service. Despite living in the ultimate luxury and comfort, she dedicated her life, from her 20s to the people she reigned over. While a superficial view may say, “well, it’s easy to be nice living the way she did,” I would remind you she did this for 70 years and often every day. Her approach as Servant-Leader is probably the best example I think you can find. She was the Queen, and she dedicated herself to serving her people. Easy to say, and I suspect much harder to do (for 70 years).
At least in the UK, the most talked about was how she made the people who met her feel. Not the rich and famous, those who may have believed they deserved an audience, but the everyday members of the population. The Radio and TV have been filled daily with people remembering and recalling the time they met the Queen. The most touching is the day and humorous moments they share. The time she joked and showed them her famous smile. As we watched her grandsons, William and Harry, walk down from Windsor Castle, we saw what they had learned from her. I saw leaders trying to be present with people when they talked to them. Maybe for a few seconds, a few words, or even a thank you. But for those few seconds, they looked the people in the eye and were present with the people they were talking to. As a leader, being present with the people who work with you or for you, at whatever level and for however long, is a significant and essential skill.
We could talk about many other elements of this story, including the length of her reign and the unique experience it gave her. During her reign, the Prime Minister of the UK changed 15 times – we will probably never see the like of it again. Each week, the PM in office would visit with the Queen, often for an hour or more, and talk through issues of state, politics, and the world. Even the most critical person in the country, politically speaking, once a week had to go and see ‘the boss’ and answer questions. It would be a good experience for our leaders, particularly in the US, to explain to someone weekly what they were doing and why. Having to vocalize and justify your decisions is an excellent exercise for any leader.
The world of her coronation and her death is so different that it is almost unimaginable. She made mistakes and could have done things better, but so could all of us. Leading during change is hard, and teaching during a lifetime is almost impossible. I am sad to see her go. I think her service was selfless; she loved her family and did much more good than harm.
In the end, that’s probably the best thing that should be said of all of us.
An Ex-Pat Remembers the Queen
An Ex-Pat Remembers the Queen
An Ex-Pat Remembers the Queen
We were lucky enough to be in the UK for the week, seeing a new Prime Minister and a new Monarch in that sequence. The most significant of the two is, of course, the passing of the Throne from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III. This is not the place to discuss the relevance of the Monarchy in 2022, and I will not try.
Each of us has our view on that subject, but for non-British people who feel it has no relevance in this century, I wish you could have watched and listened to the people of the UK talk about how they felt. Too much analysis from the US has been superficial and, frankly, a little ignorant.
However, instead of making either of those cases, I want to make a few observations about the Queen and her leadership style.
What can we learn?
The most significant mark of her reign, and probably the second most talked about, was her sense of service. Despite living in the ultimate luxury and comfort, she dedicated her life, from her 20s to the people she reigned over. While a superficial view may say, “well, it’s easy to be nice living the way she did,” I would remind you she did this for 70 years and often every day. Her approach as Servant-Leader is probably the best example I think you can find. She was the Queen, and she dedicated herself to serving her people. Easy to say, and I suspect much harder to do (for 70 years).
At least in the UK, the most talked about was how she made the people who met her feel. Not the rich and famous, those who may have believed they deserved an audience, but the everyday members of the population. The Radio and TV have been filled daily with people remembering and recalling the time they met the Queen. The most touching is the day and humorous moments they share. The time she joked and showed them her famous smile. As we watched her grandsons, William and Harry, walk down from Windsor Castle, we saw what they had learned from her. I saw leaders trying to be present with people when they talked to them. Maybe for a few seconds, a few words, or even a thank you. But for those few seconds, they looked the people in the eye and were present with the people they were talking to. As a leader, being present with the people who work with you or for you, at whatever level and for however long, is a significant and essential skill.
We could talk about many other elements of this story, including the length of her reign and the unique experience it gave her. During her reign, the Prime Minister of the UK changed 15 times – we will probably never see the like of it again. Each week, the PM in office would visit with the Queen, often for an hour or more, and talk through issues of state, politics, and the world. Even the most critical person in the country, politically speaking, once a week had to go and see ‘the boss’ and answer questions. It would be a good experience for our leaders, particularly in the US, to explain to someone weekly what they were doing and why. Having to vocalize and justify your decisions is an excellent exercise for any leader.
The world of her coronation and her death is so different that it is almost unimaginable. She made mistakes and could have done things better, but so could all of us. Leading during change is hard, and teaching during a lifetime is almost impossible. I am sad to see her go. I think her service was selfless; she loved her family and did much more good than harm.
In the end, that’s probably the best thing that should be said of all of us.
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