I believe that all people matter.
I believe that all people have a right to experience the context and environment of human dignity.
I believe that all people need to face, and will face, tough conversations and gut-wrenching circumstances that require long seasons of grit and grace by others, and by themselves.
I believe that actualizing core values and meaningful purpose are what provides satisfaction of a life well lived.
I believe that the right people at the right time are MUCH better together.
I believe that sound, safe, successful, sustainable leadership is the ever-expanding personal capacity to guide, inspire and invite others to a mutually beneficial mission, while fostering a positive and values-based environment for all.
I believe that leadership is more than a title, status, position or designation. I believe it is a result of personal integrity, of acting and interacting with others that generously integrates the betterment of all participants.
Here's how leadership evolves in cultural and individual transformation - by leading one's self well.
Yes, it begins within you.
Notice. Name. Choose.
Lead yourself well.
Studies using brain imaging such as functional MRI suggest that our minds spend approximately 50% in time travel to the future.
If we spend up to 50% of our waking hours projecting the future (especially in light of politics, climate change, polarizing values, rising costs of shelter and food, ever-present loss, wars and rumors of wars etc) the dread and negative bias or conscious worry and stress will influence the health of our body, mind and brain (which will directly influence our leadership capacity).
Perhaps we might eek out a bit of wisdom from Charlie Brown's philosophy about our chosen thoughts for 'one day at a time'.
What we think about grows.
Thoughts that we nurture wire together to create default highways of thinking, being and behaving - all of which directly impacts our desired leadership outcomes.
Notice. Name. Choose.
Lead yourself well.
Empowering leadership that makes a sustainable impact is tough work.
Changing patterns of ways of doing, thinking, being is tough work.
If we want different results, it's much more than changing behaviours. It is noticing the thoughts, feelings, emotions and psychobiology that inform the patterns.
Sustainable patterns that serve values-based, purpose-driven leadership is more than a shuffle of external patterns - they must include a deeper internal change of patterns. That's the juiciness of neuroplasticity and solid, sound leadership effectiveness.
Lead yourself well.
Courage is the tipping point of something better.
Courage is the bravery and willingness to take a stand against previously held negative or disempowering beliefs and actions.
Bringing it to awareness is a courage act of learning, growing, changing and moving thoughts to action. Ultimately, repeated action is the gold of neuroplasticity and change at a cellular level.
It's all really quite brave, don't you think?
Notice. Name. Choose.
