Uncertain!

I am currently teaching a leadership course and we're having some powerful and insightful conversations about various aspects of what it means to be a leader. One of those components involves the interplay between certainty and uncertainty.  

One of the biggest challenges for any leader is to fall into the trap of thinking they have to know everything and come across as being certain. I think there is often a perception that being certain is a sign of real strength. I would like to propose that one of the greatest acts of strength and courage a leader can display is when they say, "I don't know." 

Let's be honest, as complex as our world is today, I'm not sure anyone can be completely certain about every facet of their role or industry. So, when we act as if we know it all, we give the impression of being a "Know it all!" 

It's because of this depth of complexity that I think it's actually stronger to admit when we don't know something, because inevitably there will be someone around us who will often know the answer we don't, and when we act like we do, our ignorance will show up pretty quickly!

This is why I like the phase, "I don't know, but let's see if we can find out or figure this out together." By admitting we are Uncertain, we can actually create room for the knowledge and expertise of others to come forward and help bring greater clarity to a situation for all of us. It fosters an atmosphere of learning and an openness to growth, which indirectly helps others admit when they don't know something, and maybe even ask for help too.

When was the last time you told someone you didn't know something and revealed your Uncertainty? Was it hard to admit? How did they respond? Is there something you are facing right now in which you have more questions than answers? Who could you invite into wrestling with those questions with you, and how do you think that might make all of you better for it?

Here's to being Uncertain this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Synergy!

This past week I had the opportunity to sit with several groups that were thinking and processing about leadership and life.  They were powerful conversations!

As I reflected on each of them and the individuals involved, it occurred to me that part of the power of those experiences was because of the unique interplay of who was in the room. For example, in one of the groups we were brainstorming various ways to handle challenges from members of our teams. We came up with a really incredible list with lots of exceptional ideas and approaches. There were certainly way more (and better!) ideas than I could have come up with on my own, or even if I had been brainstorming with just one other member of the group at a time. In other words, the real power of the creativity was a result of the collective Synergy we created as a group.

It reminded me of a quote I recently encountered:

“…a stream of meaning flowing among and through us and between us. This will make possible a flow of meaning in the whole group, out of which may emerge some new understandings. It is something new, which may not have been in the starting point at all. It’s something creative. And this shared meaning…holds people and societies together…”

           ~ David Bohn, author of On Dialogue

Sometimes I think I get stuck in the trap of thinking that the best or most creative ideas and solutions will come from me, and I forget there is a whole other realm of learning and growth and creativity that can emerge when I am willing to give myself to the Synergy of collaborating with others.  But when I am willing to open myself up with a little vulnerability and enter into dialogue with others that is based on mutual trust and a desire for the overall well-being of the whole - that's when the magic of Synergy actually gets unleashed!

So, what are you working on right now that has mainly been limited to just your own thinking and processing? Who could you invite into some dialogue around that and what do you think might be discovered from that openness and curiosity? 

Here's to looking for some spaces of real Synergy this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Carry On!

Last week we took a look at the final C of the 8 Cs of Self-Leadership from the IFS-Institute. Originally, I intended that to be the final entry in this series, but I've been thinking all week of another C - Carry On. 

Not the luggage, but the action.

I shared each week that I hoped this series would help to create some positive focus as we continued to move our way into 2025.  That one idea alone speaks to how much I believe that life is truly a journey, and that each day brings another opportunity to keep learning and growing. So, I thought I would take one more week and leave you with a very simple recap of the 8 Cs and then ask some simple questions about how to Carry On in this journey.

Calm - actively cultivating a greater sense of peace and serenity that counteracts being so reactive to circumstances

Curiosity - embracing exploration and discovery as primary approaches to life

Confidence - living with the perspective that no matter what may come, it can be faced with purpose

Compassion - being open-heartedly present and appreciative of others and myself

Creativity - looking at life from new perspectives and without predetermined outcomes in mind

Courage -  remembering it isn't necessary to turn off fear, but to simply turn up the courage dial

Clarity - focusing on life and circumstances with honesty and objectivity

Connectedness - paying attention to particular and universal connections that cultivate feeling supported 

If you were to Carry On with just one of these over the course of the next month or so, which one do you think would be the most impactful for you? How could you continue to lean into growing and cultivating that C in your journey of life? If you were going to create some type of tool or reminder for yourself to help you Carry On in that focus, what would it be - a new mantra? A post it note on your computer or mirror at home? A new screen saver on your computer or phone? Finally, who could you share this with as a way to help you Carry On in this journey of growth and learning? How could they support you as you keep moving forward into 2025?

Let's Carry On - this week and beyond!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.