Your Legacy
How are you creating your legacy?
Live on purpose…your purpose. Not someone else’s.
Serve. Be a servant leader.
Be generous in spirit, compassion, your talents and humor.
Forgive yourself and others as soon as you can.
Worry less.
Posts Tagged ‘purpose’
Embodied Leadership: Centered, De-centered and De-central
Recently, I was a participant in an embodied leadership experience through Souls of Our Feet, an expressive arts institute. (See my April 4, 2010 post.)
One of the intriguing things that came up was that in a group of eight, two of us chose to tell our stories in the third person. Our facilitator, Kate made mention of this. Kate said that “de-centering” is a useful way of looking in on ourselves as it removes the personal first person perspective and may allow more objective observation and analysis, an exploration without imposition approach.
As I reflected on this it sparked my curiosity about how central leaders can be in a given situation. The more traditional way of thinking of leadership is the leader is out in front, a key and central figure. In current times, with collaborative approaches, the leader can be more de-central. S/he can foster an environment that drives business results without having to be at the center of things. This calls upon the leader’s ability to be centered does it not?
I am using centered to mean focused, where one can draw on inner strength without being ego driven. To be on purpose. That is, to align your behaviors and actions with your purpose.
My experience being de-centered in telling the story was insightful and it heightened my self-awareness and learning and I believe that a leader should be centered in herself…most of the time.
I welcome your thoughts on being centered as a leader, de-centered as a useful difference in perspective on occasion and being a de-central leader.
Drive – Purpose
“Purpose provides activation energy for living.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi told Daniel Pink, author of Drive.
When I read Drive, it really hit a cord with me, particularly the chapter on purpose. Daniel Pink states, “we’re designed to be active and engaged. And we know that the richest experiences in our lives aren’t when we’re clamoring for validation from others, but when we’re listening to our own voice – doing something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves.”
It’s quite common that at some point in life we ask, “what is my purpose?” And we strive to find the answer. The answer may not come for a while and it may change with life experience and time. Coming to an answer often infuses us with renewed energy and hope. For me it also brings clarity of what, with whom, how, when and why to spend my precious time and energy. Purpose also gives me courage.
I’m not sure which comes first purpose or courage. It probably doesn’t matter. What does matter is that leaders all need courage. And leaders all need purpose. Together, they enable leaders to see and set the vision, refine direction and allows them to guide others. Purpose fuels us.
When I take action that is aligned with my purpose, I am in creative flow, it’s practically effortless and I’m happy, productive and fulfilled. I am at my best, performing optimally.
If you want to be at your best, clarify your purpose and make choices and decisions that match it. It works.
Drive
I’m reading Drive by Daniel Pink as fast as I can. It captures in one place, a clear explanation of what I’ve been feeling and perhaps knowing for a long time: motivation (enduring motivation vs. short term bursts) is an inside job. Pink’s newest book is spot on. Here’s his Twitter summary (he’s given permission to retweet this) : Carrots & sticks are so last century. Drive says for 21st century work, we need to upgrade to autonomy, mastery and purpose.
If you are leader, read this book NOW and look at what you’re doing in your workplace. You may be sabotaging your employee’s best performance while trying to maximize it. And the reward system you have in place may be keeping you from your optimal performance as well. I’m sure that’s not your intention.
