‘When’ is different from ‘What’.

‘What’ suggests a thing, an item, an object, something that may easily be defined, observed, measured. ‘When’ suggests a time, an experience, a feeling. Whereas ‘what’ may be short-lived, ‘when’ is ongoing.

You hear the ‘when’ of leadership if they are as present greeting a colleague good morning as they are when addressing key stakeholders. You feel it ‘when’ they are experienced as authentic by others whether leading an enterprise wide initiative or a company picnic. You experience it ‘when’ they absorb, assimilate, and act appropriately to crisis, as well as words unspoken in a routine conversation.

The ‘When’ of leadership is seen, heard, and felt on a daily basis.  The ‘What’ of leadership is a checklist. Are you a ‘When’ or ‘What’ leader?