Change Agent Leadership™ - Spring Ezine Change Agent Truth Vision creates hope and focus. Whenever you encounter a problem or experience adversity, your vision will keep you focused towards your end RESULT rather than dwelling on your present circumstances. Where Are You Going?
Vision is creating a clear picture of what will be. It is a “Big” picture about going somewhere as opposed to being still or stagnant. It is absolutely critical that each individual has a clear picture of where they are going. Vision is a word that is overused and as a result, its meaning becomes devalued. People become desensitized to the word vision because it is used in every organization around the world. Vision is extremely important in organizations, but it is more important for Change Agent Leaders to become visionaries for their own purpose. I am often reminded of the wordsthat were stated in 1854 by Henry David Thoreau,when he said,“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” There is more truth in this quote than the average person knows. Over 150 years ago Henry David Thoreau observed this fact. As I observe individuals personally and organizationally, I see little has changed. The truth is thatso many of us do not know where we are going in life. We do not know where we want to go or how we are going to get there. The question we have to answer is, “If I don't know where I'm going, how will I know when I get there?”
Without a clear vision of where we are going personally and professionally, we are condemned to being a walking generality. Vision is not something that you slap on a wall, but rather it is something that lives inside of you. Once you activate your own gifts and abilities and focus your direction towards tangible results, you will be living with the clarity and power.
The greatest example of vision statements being used are in organizations. I will often walk into organizations and see vision statements on the wall. When I ask people in the organization what their vision is, they often struggle with remembering it. The truth is a vision statement must come from within the organization. This means that if an organization wants to be successful, it must include all employees in its vision. In other words, the vision of the organization must be a shared vision. The people of that organization must own the vision if it is going to come to fruition. Every individual in the organization should have their own vision of where they are going within the company. This is essential to creating meaningful and productive work within the organization. Individuals need to know what they are working towards and where they are going.
Have you ever been involved in a meeting or a discussion where someone is trying to tell you something regarding a task that needs to be accomplished or attempts to explain to you an initiative that they want you to be a partof? Every one of us has been a part of a discussion where an individual is trying to explain what needs to be done regarding the task or initiative. There is nothing more frustrating than a person who was unable to cast a vision for that task or initiative. When someone is unable to do this, they leave you feeling confused and frustrated because you do not have a clear picture of what it looks like? Having a personal vision is no different. If you are unclear as to where you are going regarding a specific task, initiative, event, or life goal, you too will be confused and frustrated. Once you become clear on where you want to go in your life, you will then be able to stop struggling and start living.
Here is a helpful tool that you can apply instantly when creating your vision. Answer the questions in the space provided directly below each question.
Change Agent Leadership™
Be An Influencer
Leadership is the ability to influence someone else. We influence others by our actions more than byour words. Who would you rather follow, a person who tells you how to do something or a person who shows you how to do something by demonstrating as opposed to proclaiming? Now is the time to leave your comfort zone. Now is the time to open yourself to a new opportunity. Now is the time to learn and seek truth!
Every day we lead by example. Whether it is how we interact with another individual, the effort we put forth in our work, or our decision to live a righteous life, the bottom line is that we are all leaders. Every one of us is called to LEAD. WHY? Because people are always watching our actions. How we interact with others, how we plan our days, what we do with our time, the language we use, the nonverbal expressions we use; people are always observing what we do. Everything we do affects others either for the better or for the worse. People are always watching how you talk, interact, and make decisions on a daily basis. That automatically qualifies you as a leader. You have the choice to decide what kind of leader you want to be. You are a leader of yourself before you can lead your spouse, children, employees, colleagues, peers, friends, family members, or acquaintances.
The decision is yours to choose whether you want to be a positive leader living your full potential or a mediocre and despondent leader who is constantly searching for more but failing to find it. Everything begins with a decision! Decision is power! You need to make the decision right now and determine what kind of leader you want to be. I want you to get the notion that, “I am not a leader” out of your thinking and beliefs. It is easy to say, “I am not a leader. That is for some person in a suit” or “In order to be a leader, I actually have to lead someone” or “Leave me alone, I'm happy with my life.” As long as you have the ability to influence another individual such as children, colleagues, peers, strangers, acquaintances, or family members, YOU ARE A LEADER! It is time to step out of the world of apathy and mediocrity and into the classroom of Change Agent Leadership. The truth is, the minute you were bornyou were called to leadership.
The Art of Connection
Too many times in my life, I have passed up opportunities to connect with key people. For the longest time I had lived with certain limiting beliefs that prevented me
from making the contacts that would propel my purpose and vision. It also prevented me from sharing my expertise and knowledge for the sole purpose
of helping others. Here are three common self-defeating beliefs that prevent people from connecting with others.
1. Not prepared: I want you to think of a time when you had to talk to a group of individuals. Do you remember feeling nervous? One of the worst
things an individual can do is not to practice or rehearse what they’re going to say. Whenever I prepare for a keynote presentation or seminar delivery, I always
practice what I’m going to say as if I was actually in front of an audience. I will brainstorm questions that the participants may ask me and answer them accordingly.
You must take time to prepare before connecting with others.
2. Fear: One of the greatest obstacles that holds us back in all aspects of life is fear. Many people struggle with fear of failure and fear of rejection. These fears
come from experiences in our lives where people have either pointed out our failures or rejected us. One major way to overcome these fears is to prepare your mental attitude.
When someone rejects you, it is usually not because of you, but because of their current situation. Do not take it personally and it will be an easier process.
Expect to be rejected and fail at connecting with others. Remember, every rejection or failure brings you increasingly closer to someone saying yes.
3. Lack of Confidence: Often our self talk is a limiting and self-defeating factor which prevents us from going after the things we want. We say things like, “I am not
good enough to talk to her” or “I am not worthy” or “Why would they want to talk to me?” The image that you have of yourself is usually based upon what other people have
said to you or have done to you. Oftenwe internalize comments (lies) which others have said to us and we allow them to govern our thoughts, words and actions. Realize
that everyone is equal, regardless of status, money or power. The more you interact with others, the more confidence you will experience. Focus on the result of successfully
connecting with other individuals rather than on all the things that can go wrong.
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