Your workstyle needs to grow and expand to embrace all aspects of who you need to be in your future. When you envision your organization’s success (whether your business, your department or your multi-national organization), who you are leads the way for others to follow. You can’t just be at the top of your game, you need to be designing the game, and playing big!
Here’s a story of a business owner who accelerated his leadership style by facing adversity.
Richie is the owner of a small and growing company. He had grown his business 10 times in the last 5 years and was ready to grow himself to continue to grow his business. Through our work together, he’s changing his role as owner of the company, so that increasingly the company will be working for him, rather than he working (slaving, really) for the company.
He was embracing best business practices (like setting written goals, holding himself accountable to achieve them, improving communication skills, hiring better professionals to help him reach his goals) and generally being more aware of his impact on his business.
Life served up a tragedy in Richie’s life: his key employee’s 17 year old daughter committed suicide. No matter how you cut it, Richie was in despair, grieving, and in shock. Yet he sought ways to help his grieving employees through this very sad and difficult time.
This was the moment Richie became a true leader. He found the strength to meet this challenge. In these painful moments, Richie was aware of his own feelings, managed them, and chose to take the next right action moment to moment.
Although it didn’t seem like an opportunity at the time, the tragic circumstances presented Richie with some hard choices. He was able to see the choices clearly, embrace them, and take action that reflected his values. At the same time he led his company and employees with the care and concern he authentically felt.
Richie’s leadership style was crystallized and accelerated because of tragedy. He rose to the occasion because he took the time to know himself in our work together. He had already become used to the discomfort of introspection, resilience and risk taking.
Richie was willing to become who he needed to become in order to have his business grow into his vision. His personal growth fueled his professional growth. He’s a bigger person now, and enjoying it…and anticipating more in his future, for his business, his life, and his family of employees.
Reflections:
- What challenges do you face as a leader right now?
- What opportunities might be presented in these challenges?
- Who might you ask for help and guidance?
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