It seems that in every direction we look, there are opportunities for us to demonstrate our leadership. The economic meltdown in the United States continues to bring this to life again. As mystic, Persian poet, Rumi told us over 2000 years ago, "the world is reeling" and needs us to work for good. Whether we are talking about our organizations longing for innovation and renewal or our communities, nations or the world, there is a call-to-action for every leader at this time in history. Future is truly ours to create. However, it's not uncommon to hear people say, "What difference can I make?"
Some years ago, I was moved by a now classic book by Peter Block called STEWARDSHIP: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest. At the time I read this book, I was working to help transform my company as a leader, trying to figure out what it meant to be be empowered myself. One paragraph in the book got highlighted and bookmarked. I've opened up to it many times to refresh my mind with its wisdom or turned to it to share with out leaders:
SURVIVAL IN OUR OWN HANDS:
"For each of us as individuals, empowerment means placing ourselves in the position of being the creators of the organization to which we belong. Empowerment is embodied in the act of standing on our own ground, discovering our own voice, making our own choices, regardless of the level of power and privilege we hold. It stems from our choice of the mindset that tells us that we have within ourselves the authority to act and to speak and to serve clients and those around us. We do not need permission to feel or to take what matters into our own hands."
There is something uplifting about empowering yourself to use your gifts of leadership to shape the future. Frances Hesselbein, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Leader to Leader Institute and Recipient of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, wrote in the foreword of my book, ACTION DIALOGUES: Meaningful Conversations to Accelerate Change. "As we reshape the world as we have know it, this is a time of remarkable opportunity for innovation. The individual efforts of thousands of leaders, in millions of organizations, will begin to transform the vision into a new reality of the diverse and inclusive community."
I would like to live there, wouldn't you?
Our Call-to-ACTION:
It is clear, as I discuss in my book in the Chapter, "The New Business Essentials," we have fundamental change how we think, behave, and operate; not throwing out what we know, but enhancing what we know with a people-focused shift with employees and our customers too. I wrote, offering these key points:
People are the number one source of new thinking and new ideas needed for change and the betterment of business and society. Putting our differences to work means learning to work more effectively in ways that accelerate our capacity to innovate, influence, and bring value to the marketplace, workplace, and society. It is our intention and behavior that breathe life into the words and give them meaning.
It’s time for individuals and organizations to reach for a new stage of growth, where we come together in novel and different combinations to open the way for innovations leading to new technology, new music and art, new businesses, new friendships, new cultures, and new opportunities to grow. Futurist Joel Barker tells us, "Diversity has measurable benefits; it produces new kinds of wealth—the wealth of sustainability, reduced risk, predictability, innovation, and economic wealth" [http://www.wealthinnovationanddiversity.com/ - video preview]
What difference will you make?
What can you do to empower yourself and others in your span of influence in your work?
How will you change to meet the demands of a more people-focused connection to people?
RELATED ONLINE DIALOGUE: SEPT 17 Join us to explore the "Future of Connecting with Customers" author Debbe Kennedy and futurist Joel Barker CO-HOST with special guest: Jim Blasingame. Learn more and register: http://tinyurl.com/krwhfc No Fees
Hope you can be with us!
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
founder, President and CEO Global Dialogue Center
and Leadership Solutions Companies author,Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership,
and High Performance (Berrett-Koehler 2008)
Buy a Copy at Amazon.com
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