Reflect - Refresh - Renew
A new beginning, the start of a new year.
I usually hit 'pause', if not in January, certainly during the first two months of the year, to take some time to think about how special a time it truly is. I purposely get quiet or centered and listen to myself about how to release what was in the past year and the steps I will take to enter the year proactively.
So, what I've decided to do now is to focus, to prepare my mind, body, and spirit for 2023 by writing my affirmations for the year, reflecting on the past few weeks of activities and, once again, begin a gratitude journal.
I want to share with you something recently written by Gary Burnison CEO of Korn Ferry. He talks about leadership but I believe what he says is also about life as well:
We need a radically human approach to leadership and a set of leadership resolutions for 2021. Let’s commit to the heart, mind, and soul. Here are some thoughts:
It starts with you. Awareness awakens. Before we do anything else, we resolve to take a look in the mirror at our values, motivations, strengths, and blind spots. By knowing ourselves we can manage ourselves first, so we can positively impact others.
But it’s not about you. We’re not sculptors working alone in a studio, chipping marble or molding clay. We aren’t solo performers. We work with and through others. Quite simply, our success is measured by what others achieve.
Purpose. At some point, we need to stop trying to make sense of 2020. Instead, we need to create a sense of purpose for 2021—an overarching “why” that will take us out of the wilderness and into a new light—and a new beginning. Purpose always precedes the first step.
Empathy. Given all that people have gone through, empathy rules the day. It’s all about meeting others where they are, to understand their experience. We used to say, “How are you?”; now it’s “how are you feeling?” But that’s not all. The more empathetic we are, the more we broaden our view. We see beyond our own perspective—through the lens of others.
Empower. 2020 tripped the circuit breakers; 2021 and 2022 were the big reset. Change must bubble up from within the organization, not merely cascade down—because in the next two years, we’ll see more change than we’ve seen in the last 10. To paint tomorrow, people throughout the organization must be empowered to think. I’ll never forget the advice I received from a board member many years ago when I was a new CEO: “As the leader, don’t tell people what to do—instead, tell them what to think about.”
Collective genius. It’s been said that the strength of a team is each individual member—and the strength of each individual member is the team. When teams are inclusive, and differences are not just tolerated but celebrated, they become more creative and innovative—and collective genius is born. Let’s create an ethos of inclusiveness in the New Year.
Shepherd. I’ve met a number of military leaders who led during periods of conflict, and many confided in me, “I’ve never lost a soldier”—revealing a deep mindset of humility and accountability. While most of us won’t face such life-or-death scenarios, we also need to make sure we don’t lose anyone. Think shepherd: occasionally in front, sometimes beside, but mostly behind.
Own the moment. When most people think about accountability, they immediately think about how accountable others are to them. But first, we need to examine how accountable we are to ourselves—for who we are and how we act. If we want to know how we’re doing, we only need to count the number of times we say, “I’m sorry”—in all its forms, including “That’s on me,” “That was the wrong call,” and “You were right.” That’s how we truly own the moment.
Be the message. During the last two years, we tried to help people get through—one day to the next—by seeing the blue sky through a tiny opening in the clouds. Now it’s time for the clouds to part—and for people to believe they can punch right through the sky. That comes from inspiration—and it’s best done with stories. As Peter Guber, the Academy Award–winning producer and co-owner of four professional sports teams, once told me, “Leadership is storytelling in a way that becomes memorable and actionable.” And the leader IS the message.
In this new year, may we stay resolute—to our resolutions. As radically human leaders - radically human beings, we enable others to exceed their potential and, in doing so, we all will collectively rise. We all have a longing to be significant. We want to make a contribution and be part of something noble and purposeful. But many people wrongly believe significance is unattainable. They worry that it's too big for them to achieve. That they have to have an amazing idea, be a certain age, have a lot of money, or be powerful or famous to make a real difference.
The good news is that none of those things is necessary for you to achieve significance and create a lasting legacy. The only thing you need to achieve significance is to be intentional. And to do that, all you need to do is start. You can't make an impact sitting still and doing nothing. Every major accomplishment that's ever been achieved started with a first step. Sometimes it's hard; other times it's easy, but no matter what, you have to do it if you want to get anywhere in life.
In Intentional Living, John Maxwell will help you take that first step.
I would love to work with and support you on the ones that follow the first, on your personal path through a life that matters.
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