Understanding Leadership ~ Future of CIO

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Understanding Leadership

9:16 AM Pearl Zhu No comments

The substance of leadership is about vision, positive influence, and progression. The sense about leadership is about communication, story telling and influence.

Leadership is an influence. In the context of leadership, "sense" relates to emotional intelligence, encompassing the abilities to perceive emotions in oneself and others, use emotions in thinking and action, understand emotions, and manage or control emotions.

"Substance," in a philosophical context, refers to a thing that exists independently. Applied to leadership, it signifies the tangible qualities, expertise, and character that enable a leader to make a real impact. In leadership, "sense" and "substance" refer to different but equally important aspects of a leader's capabilities and impact.

Substance in Leadership

-Vision and Strategic Thinking: The capacity to develop a clear vision for the future and create effective strategies to achieve it.

-Knowledge and Expertise: Possessing a deep understanding of the relevant field and the ability to apply that knowledge effectively.

Integrity and Character: Demonstrating strong moral principles and ethical behavior in all actions.

-Resilience and Determination: The ability to overcome challenges and persevere in the face of adversity.

Sense in Leadership

-Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding one’s own emotions, reactions, and how they affect life experiences.

-Self-control: Consciously modifying one’s mood and its expressions.

-Empathy: Understanding the perspectives, needs, and wants of others, and experiencing their emotions.

-Social skills: Communicating with, influencing, and motivating others.

To deal with fast-paced changes and continuous disruptions, a growth mindset and cognitive intelligence are in strong demand to ride learning curves and make progressive movement. The substance of leadership is about vision, positive influence, and progression. The sense about leadership is about communication, story telling and influence.