The #1 Block to Leadership, Connection and Positioning – and Big Opportunities
Leadership. Connection. Positioning.
I’ve witnessed these 3 areas as critical to long-lasting success in business – and they are my most requested keynote and workshop topics.
When I have a conversation with a meeting planner about what they want to ensure attendees will walk away with at their conference, they rarely tell me about the results.
I often have to read between the lines to hear what they want.
What I deliver in those three presentations are keys to understanding how to be:
- A leader who knows where they are going and positively influences others along the way
- A well-connected leader who values others for who they are and benefits from the power of leverage
- A well-positioned leader who generates big opportunities with ease and grace because of who they are.
Upside Thinking - Big Opportunities
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been exploring the hidden elements that are necessary to be successful at each.
What do I teach without ever uttering the word?
Forgiveness. Mercy. Love.
While the answers don’t look like the ones that are spoken about in most MBA programs throughout the United States, they are the behind-the-scenes tenets that show up again and again.
As I’ve been examining my own leadership, I’ve chosen to ask myself questions about where I haven’t been forgiving, merciful or loving.
- Who do I need to forgive?
- Where is my mercy needed most at this moment?
- What situation requires me to be more loving?
Despite all of the personal transformational work I’ve done, I’m always amazed at what is lurking in the corners of my mind.
To take this a step further, I’ve looked at why this is needed to get to leadership, connection, and positioning.
From the conversations I’ve had with mission-driven entrepreneurs, small business owners, managers, consultants and C-suite execs I train and coach, there are three elements that show up that will get in the way of moving into forgiveness, mercy, and love – the portal to leadership, connection, and positioning.
Fear. Anger. Regret.
Today, I simply want to look at regret.
In my work, I get the honor of working with beautiful souls who are on a journey to design their destiny.
That’s a huge undertaking.
If you look at the definition for “destiny”, you’ll find that it is defined as ” the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future” or “the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future.”
The root comes from the Latin word destinata, the feminine past participle of destinare, meaning to “make firm” or “establish.”
To make your future firm or establish your future, this is to make known your destiny.
On that road, what bubbles up for most of my clients is if I don’t do this, I will have regret.
They share, “I don’t have a clue how or why I am being called.”
When I am working with a client and we get to this fork in the road, I see them clearly.
Yes, I see them.
And, I realize in my heart that if at that moment they don’t have the courage to live their life fully and authentically from a place of who they are vs. what others expect from them, they will live with regret.
Every time I watch a client in that place, I have to ask myself where in my life am I not living from a place of authenticity and vulnerability because the same is true for me, too.
I’m committed to mercy, justice, and protection.
- Where am I not being who I am called to be?
And, that’s the question I have for you today.
A lot of people wander throughout their life with deep regrets.
You may be one of them.
It could be because you took the wrong advice and didn’t listen to your soul’s deepest wisdom.
It could be because you’ve tried to force your square peg self into their round hole.
It could be that you chose to dim your own light so that others could shine.
Regret is funny.
Most people will tell you they have none and I suppose it is because it’s too painful to be honest and move through forgiveness, mercy, and love.
I lived that.
It sounds tough – and it sounds powerful.
Unfortunately, it won’t get you a self-actualized life where big opportunities live and you get them with a deep peace and ease throughout the journey.
What I am clear about is that there are people who need you – and they need your brilliance.
And, a watered-down version of who you are just won’t satisfy you – or them – for very long.
Don’t let regret stand in the way of sharing your brilliance.
Action:
The Upside Challenge of the week is to examine where regret may be getting in the way of you shining your light.
The world needs you and your brilliance.
