I believe that leadership is fluid, interactive, intricate at times, visionary at others. It’s a mindset and a way of being that grows with us. That’s what I mean when I say that we all lead, and because we are human, at times we are great leaders and at other times we may falter. But if we aspire to our capabilities and are willing to get on our purposeful path, we can create greater opportunities for ourselves, our teams and those around us. Furthermore, we can lead with intention. This means that we can trust our intention as a leader and can have the impact we hope for, even if we don’t see where the ripple from the intention ends.
Whew! That was a lot of metaphors! So, what does that look like in everyday life? I have created a process to help leaders understand how to rise from where they are today, to where they want to be. I call it Cultivate Your Rise.
Viktor E. Frankl said, “When we are no longer able to change the situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”. We each have unlimited potential. No matter who you are, what you’ve experienced, or where you are in your journey right now, I believe this to be True. This belief is why I lead. I have seen in my clients and experienced myself, that when we choose to believe and be inspired by what’s possible and we develop the mindset that supports this, we come to learn that we are enough now, for all that we hope for, and we experience being fully capable of creating all that we desire.
Let’s break it down. Following are the steps of the process and how you might apply them. There is no right or wrong answer here. Only yours.
Contemplate is the process of exploring where you are right now, using reflection both within and as mirrored to us by others. Reflection can be done on your own using journaling, reading and overall learning. You can also use observation in terms of how changes you make, and the understanding that you gain, affect your outcomes and engagement with others. Greater clarity can come from engaging a trusted mentor who is willing to be transparent with you. It can also come from working with a coach who can help you unpack reflection without judgement or opinion.
The Create Clarity step is about you getting to know you. The you that wants what it wants in this world. For yourself, those you care most about, and for the impact you want to make. It’s about unabashedly saying this is My Journey and this is Who I Am in it. Define values, understand the gifts you bring and how they impact others and your outcomes. Understand what ideal looks like to you. Then use that information to create a vision and goals.
Chart Your Course is about finding your purposeful paths. That’s right. It could be more than one. I choose to work on things that serve my gift and my vision. I’m pretty good and seeing the big picture and figuring out how to align action to achieve it. I also have a vision of helping leaders see and tap into unlimited potential and rise. I apply all of this as I manage projects and coach leaders. These are not separate and distinct functions. I use all of who I am to do this work.
Based upon the prior steps, what are the paths that feel right to you? What might you want to try? This could be in your career, your personal life, anywhere that supports you and your unique gifts and abilities. In this step really take the time to get clear on actions, outcomes, and how you want to engage with others.
Cultivate Culture. The word culture is a derivative of cultivate in Latin. It refers to tending and growing. We all experience culture. Whether through our communities, the companies we work for and with, and our families. You may be thinking, I’m a leader of a small team within a larger team within a company with clear culture. How can I create culture? This step is about answering key questions based on what you’ve learned and then acting based upon the answers. When people work with you, what do you want them to experience? How do you want to tend to needs - others and yours? Once you set expectations with others, how aligned do you want them to feel to those expectations? How do you want to honor both your values and the companies as well as those around you? This is about bringing all of you and engaging fully.
Calculate and Rise! This step leverages patience, resilience and perseverance, with a sense of play. What are the impacts you’ve made that will last long after you leave your current job, workplace or phase of life? Spend some time thinking about your six degrees. For example, if you were able to help another see possibilities that they might not otherwise have, how might that have impacted those people that the person engages with? Think about what you want the world to be like for you in your later years, and for those you hold dear. What do you want for your family, for their families and beyond? Now bring that back to now. What ideas and action can you incorporate to begin to execute those long-term plays?
I hope you find this process useful in cultivating your own leadership rise. The long game that I want is that we all know that we can create intentional ripples in this pond, on this journey, and that as leaders, we can do that in community with others for the greatest opportunities for inspiration and authenticity
If you’re interested in what this could look like for you, I invite you to consider a few actions. Follow me on LinkedIn to find my Cultivate Your Rise workshops or click here to register. In each workshop we'll dive into a topic related to each step. Or, reach out and schedule a complimentary call with me. You can find my information on my website. We can talk about how to begin to contemplate, or steps you can take no matter where in the process you are. I look forward to meeting you and helping you cultivate your rise!
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