What is stirring inside of you? Are you feeling like you need to explore doing something? If so, what is holding you back?
If you just spend your time thinking about what you should do then you join the majority. So many, too many, people spend too much time talking themselves out of things than being brave enough to follow the stirring in the heart and soul.
To lead and to be a person that creates positive change you must listen to your heart and follow your instincts. Plan, execute the plan, evaluate the results and then readjust, but you must act.
If you choose not to act on what stirs inside of you it will not only affect you but you will miss an opportunity that could benefit others.
Trust your heart, trust your soul then plan and act on it. That stirring inside of you is there for a reason.
Have you ever lived in a society that seems really messed up? Have you ever been asked a very obvious question that is very simple to answer?
If you answered “yes” and “yes” then you have given two very obvious answers and I think you may have the right answer to both questions.
What we are experiencing right now, in our lifetime, is something that I have a hard time explaining. The emotions and actions that are displayed in pubic and on social media are disturbing to say the least.
Arrogance, greed, lying, hatred, contempt…the list goes on and on. What we are experiencing is disheartening, troubling and out of control. OK, that’s probably enough talking about the negativity. Will you stay with me to talk about some potential solutions?
How do we lead ourselves and our corner of the world right now? Today!
1. Control What You Can Control
As a leader and a human being you have control over your attitude, your effort and your response to what goes on around you. You cannot control other people’s attitudes, talking points and reactions. Reacting with hurtful and unkind words does not deescalate, it escalates. So control what you can control. Let the other stuff go. It’s OK and healthy to talk about issues but don’t become so obsessed with it that it clouds your vision and the way you interact with people on a daily basis.
We also control what we consume through reading, on TV and on social media. Be careful what you consume because what goes into your mind works its way to your heart and eventually shows up in action and deed.
2. Know Your Purpose – Live Your Purpose
A couple of week’s ago in my weekly Five Moments Newsletter I talked about the importance of knowing your Why, your Purpose and how to go about discovering and writing it. You can check out that newsletter here and then go to the “Moments to Be Better” section.
Chaos is all around us. As leaders we must know our greater purpose or the chaos will suck us in and it will eventually win. Your leadership and the value that you bring to others is too valuable to be treated haphazardly. Know Your Purpose.
If you need help discovering it, writing it, or just want to talk about it please contact me. I don’t want you to try to lead or live without you knowing what yours is.
3. Have Faith and Show Grace
Have faith that the work that you do matters and adds value to those that you do it with and for. I believe that if we show up on purpose and with a purpose that effort will not be wasted. William James said “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” I have this plaque in my office. It is a great reminder to have faith in what you do.
Finally, Show Grace. The Bible defines grace as generous, free, totally unexpected and undeserved. Our world. You know that world we talked about in the first few paragraphs? That world would be a better place if others would show grace. (I think we could use some more Bible too. )
But wait, what about #1 above? How about I show grace in my world and to those around me? I can control that. Will you join me in offering grace to those around us and who we interact with? Influence your corner of the world and I’ll do my best to influence mine. Who knows, if enough corners start touching each other maybe we can influence a larger segment of society. But for now make a difference in the world you are a part of and responsible for.
Enough is enough. It’s time for change. It has to start with you and me and in the respective worlds that we have some influence over.
Do you see that speck on my windshield inside of the red circle? That bug speck could really grab my attention when I was driving if I let it. I couldn’t let it though. When I did focus on the little speck it took my eyes off of the road ahead, which was very dangerous.
The same is true of our goals and our vision. If we stay focused on the little obstacles that may be in our way we will never get to the place that we are trying to get to.
Don’t become distracted by something that wasn’t there a minute ago and can be wiped away so easily. Stay focused on your journey and your destination. Wipe off the distractions and focus on the right things. The big picture. The vision. The destination.
The single most important thing that we do every day as a leader is to serve and care for the people that we interact with every day. People are busy and keeping schedules that can be very trying and sometimes they reach a point where they begin to feel overwhelmed and it may start to impact their ability to lead and serve the people that they may be trying to lead. So how do we help them get through those hectic times and help them get back to helping others? Here are a few ideas on how we can help support them.
Listen and listen closely. Don’t listen to offer your opinion just listen and be slow to speak.
Help them see the positives. People often times get bogged down and in the weeds with the details and managerial responsibilities and have to be reminded of the positive things they are doing that matter and will have a long lasting impact.
Brainstorm ways that may help them get some things off of their plate by delegating some of those managerial tasks that may be weighing them down.
Encourage personal growth and intentionally leading themselves first every day. People cannot lead others effectively unless they are leading themselves first.
Have them verbalize, write down and revisit their why. If they lose sight of their why they will begin to lose their way.
Leaders want to lead and make a difference but leaders are also human and need some help themselves.
If you are leading others be engaged and looking for ways that you can help others so they can help others as well.
There gets to be a lot of busyness in our day to day world. In the education world we go from 0 to 100 just like that when the school bell rings at the start of the year. It is easy to get caught up in that busyness and we can forget our why and our purpose.
Don’t let the pace of what you do over shadow why you do it.
Don’t let the frustrations over take the moments that bring you joy.
Don’t let the weight of responsibility cancel out all of the training and preparation you have done.
Made For This Moment 