Vibrantly Alive Women » Success

Principles for empowered leadership

Shawn — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:03:50 +0000

In these times of change and upheaval, what are the skills necessary to be a strong, empowering, and effective leader? How do you navigate a team through turbulent times and come out stronger?

Two of the key principles are to know yourself and to know your people.

Wise leaders know that they can’t run the show by themselves. And they don’t try to. They know their own strengths and weaknesses and they know the strengths and weaknesses of their team members. As much as possible, they make sure they surround themselves with those who have complementary skills to their own.

Strong leaders are willing to honor their own strengths and build on them. They are willing to stretch themselves and grow. They take risks and make mistakes and acknowledge their imperfections. They become models for those on their team.

Empowering leaders recognize and honor the strengths of the members of their team, even when these strengths differ mightily from the leader’s own gifts. Even if the most necessary strength shows up in the least likely source. They encourage the growth and learning of those around them, not expecting perfection, but expecting learning from missteps. They see ‘mistakes’ as opportunities for deep learning and for the growth of their team.

The leaders who will most successfully navigate the troubled waters we are facing are those who will create an environment for growth and blossoming, for themselves and for each of the individuals who make up their team. When you look around you today, whom will you recognize as having potential for greatness?

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Up the stairs

Shawn — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:56:30 +0000

Being really sick for over two weeks has actually been a blessing of sorts. Lots of down time, giving me plenty of time for reflection, prayer, writing. Being “out of it” seemed to mean being open to other than the status quo, being more open to possibility.

I’ve always been great at envisioning wonderful things, but not so hot on the follow-through. I’ve let lots of little things get in my way, but mostly I’ve let my own lack of clarity and certainty keep me weak, ineffective, doubting myself, and not taking action towards my vision.

When I last spoke with my spiritual director, I confessed to her something I wouldn’t want to share with everyone: I want it all! I want everything to change, dramatically, overnight. But, darn it! That’s not how it works! Years ago, I happened upon this quote, which I believe pretty accurately decribes what I am now getting on a much deeper level…

The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs. **

New perspectives (obviously) shift everything! I see this as a good omen for the new year!

** This quote has been attributed to Vance Havner and Vaclav Havel

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Being the Decisive Element

Shawn — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:43:37 +0000

Sometimes, like when I’m having a pity party, I forget that I’m not a “victim” of life’s circumstances. I forget that there are a lot of perspectives from which I could be viewing my life. Some of them may not be so pleasant, but a whole heck of a lot of them could show my life as pretty darn good. As much as I might be “enjoying” my whine, I can remember that I am, as Goethe calls it, the decisive element in the equation.

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated…

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What is required is a willingness to change a point of view AND, frankly, a bit of patience while developing the skill of shifting perspective. If we’ve been stuck in a rut of negative thinking, listening to “gremlins,” or whatever we may call it, shifting the thinking may take a while. Why? Because this thinking is likely deeply ingrained…much more so than you would ever guess. And so much so that you probably rarely even notice it…until you’re feeling bummed or blue or out of sorts. But, in that blueness, you’ve got a great opportunity! You can reclaim your power to make life miserable – or joyous! Or not – and isn’t that a point of power to be able to choose even that? Enjoy your whine when that’s what you’ve chosen!

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Where do you want to go this year?

Shawn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:16:25 +0000

Most of us view every new year as bringing us an opportunity for a fresh start, so new year’s resolutions are common. But change isn’t always easy – even when we want it and know it’s good for us! Do you know what you want in the coming year? Have you set some intentions? Maybe making resolutions isn’t for you, but, if you want to feel successful, it’s important to get a clear idea of where you want to be heading.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Lewis Carroll

Jack Canfield writes “In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want.” And in his article, Decide what you want in 2009 lays out some simple steps to getting where you want to go.

We’re living in interesting times… I’m reminded that I’ve heard the Chinese symbol for “crisis” is made up of one for danger and one for opportunity (this may or may not have some validity – check this out). But back to interesting times…we’re living in them…are we making the most of them? Where do you want to go this year?

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Dealing with the “yeah, buts”

Shawn — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:14:47 +0000

How often do you sabotage hopes and dreams by using those two words…”yeah, but…” They are dream busters. How can you stay focused on what you most want, with those words buzzing around you like bothersome gnats?

As you become more aware of your “yeah, buts” you can counteract them…by using another “yeah, but…” Think of a situation you’d like to experience – for example, you want to start an interior design business and you’re distracted by a “yeah, but I’m not sure I could make it.” You can turn a yeah, but to your advantage, with “Yeah, but I’m really enthused by working in interior design.” By using another “yeah, but…” it seems to lessen the strength of the first distracting “yeah, but.”

“Yeah, buts” happen. If they’re part of your vocabulary, learn to use ‘em to your advantage.

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Living music

Shawn — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:33:34 +0000

The Music
For sixty years I have been forgetful,
every minute, but not for a second
has this flowing toward me stopped or slowed.
I deserve nothing. Today I recognize
that I am the guest the mystics talk about.
I play this living music for my host.
Everything today is for the host.
- Rumi
What if we lived our lives as though we were the Living Music? Would we be living differently? What would be different?

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Remember when…

Shawn — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 20:45:58 +0000

Over the last several months, I’ve been enchanted by the idea and experience of “sparkle.” It sends me back to being about four or five, when I just loved being myself. I hadn’t had teachers reprimand me for always wanting to do show and tell. I hadn’t yet gotten my first (humiliating) birthday spanking in front of my classroom. Whether or not I did actually sparkle at that age, I don’t know, but what I do know is that when I remember (a full-body remembering) being that age, the feeling that comes over me is a sense of sparkling from within. And when I feel like I’m sparkling, I am happy, joyous. I have a sense of being all I need to be. Like having God’s Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. And with THAT approval, I’m good to go!

Personally, I love the idea of sparkle and sparkling. Still being in touch with that young, enthusiastic, joyous part of me is one of my greatest blessings. I think that anyone who gets in touch with their sparkle is going to be better off for having done so. Frankly, I can’t quite understand why not everyone relates to “sparkling” or wanting to sparkle, but they don’t. And I’ve found myself thinking I should “dim” my sparkle (you know, change the wording, eliminate the word sparkle), to accommodate those who aren’t raving sparkle fans, but my sparkle joy keeps insisting on being experienced. So, if my deepest self refuses to dim my love of sparkle to appease those who can’t relate to sparkling, I guess I’ll follow that. And for those who do relate to the idea of sparkling…I say let’s set the world ablaze with our sparkle!

Inquiry

Do you relate to inner sparkle? In what way or ways? Do you not relate to sparkle? Why is that?

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblueeyeguy/188576489/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/5125391/

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Defining Success for Ourselves

Shawn — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:09:09 +0000

I want to be successful. When I say that aloud…or write it for the whole world to see, I start to feel a little nauseous. It seems to have such a negative connotation for me. But it is the truth – I do want to be successful…just not in the way I think we typically think of success. And, therein lies the rub. Defining success. My mini-Webster’s defines success as 1) a favorable result. So far, so good. Yep. I’m all for favorable results. The second definition is where I get tripped up – the gaining of wealth, fame, etc. Not that I don’t want a bit of wealth and a bit of fame, but the idea that “success” is primarily viewed as this second definition. And because this bothers me so much (like when my sister sniped at me while we were struggling with our parents’ estate – “you just want to be rich!” – oh, yuck!), I’ve been doing some soul searching…yes, I do want to be successful…but what does that MEAN? One of the most complete definitions for me is: success is loving being myself. Particularly after a lifetime of self-doubt and recrimination, loving being me, with all my flaws, being able to rejoice in who I am, really is success. I’m wondering how other people are looking at success nowadays…

There were some interesting posts at: http://www.linkedin.com/answers/career-education/mentoring/CAR_MEN/77541-3243289 if you’re curious or want some “priming of the pump.”

If the majority of people really took a look at what success meant to them would more of us feel successful? And if more of us felt successful, how might our world change? Having looked at my own "redefinition of success" I know I feel more successful and much of my world seems to be responding to the shift. I like it!

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