Processed Leadership vs. Organic Leadership
What Are You Hanging Onto?
Whether it's social media stardom or the next viral marketing campaign, your identity can easily be sucked in. You may ask what does it matter? It matters much. Examine where your identity rests and you'll know what you're hanging onto.
The greatest artists, thinkers, and entrepreneurs are the ones who have a graceful indifference to their craft. By that I mean they pour themselves out not thinking of what may come next. It's beautiful to observe.
Maybe they're content to let eternity judge the quality or significance of their work. It really doesn't matter…see Steve Jobs, Miles Davis, Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa here for a flesh example.
The answer to this post's question is nothing.
Hang onto nothing and change the world.
The Entrepreneur Connection
If you're not hanging out with other entrepreneurs (positive ones), you're crazy. Don't mean to be so direct, but it really can help. I've been discovering this in the last few weeks. Big revelation, huh?
The power is found in the connection. You'll find you're not alone, which is often the case inside of an employment situation. Everyone is self-employed anyway. That's why this is not just for the self-employed. That's right, even if you're employed you should be doing all you can to connect with other like-minded folk. The universe is too big to go it alone.
And if you think of yourself as a freak or an outsider, you'll find other freaks and outsiders in these confines. Don't be a best kept secret.
Don’t Be Charmed By Security
Even with the economic conditions here in the States, specifically the employment situation, many still seem to be charmed by security. I'm alluding to security in the form of career/work. Now certainly, some have all but concluded that security is a myth. But I find many career/work pilgrims are disturbed by current trends.
I used to be in that group, but am now a freak of the not-so-weird variety. Why? I entered my period of mass disruption almost 4 years ago. Back then many felt certain about the future. Now…
Well, let's face it, life (all things in) has never been certain. And that's part of our problem. We bought the marketing message of "too big to fail." I know we're better off with a sense of not taking anything for granted. Especially since that's the way business and life were supposed to be conducted/lived. Leaders of the highly developed nature know this to be true.
We just haven't done a good job at handling success and good times.
Now's the time to embrace uncertainty and insecure times. Watch your values shift and find out what right alignment is all about. I think the following might open up for you:
- God knows what he's doing.
- Family and relationships trump everything but #1.
- You don't need as much as you think (trust me, the economy will be ok).
- You'll demand more of your organization. For example, your paid for your results, not your time.
- Taking a pay cut in order to do something impacting will seem right as rain.
The Calling-Red Pill Versus Blue Pill
Came across this post (via Dan Schawbel on Twitter) from Yahoo Hot Jobs and felt inspired to include the video clip above. It's from the Matrix. The classic scene between Morbius and Neo, where a pill of blue and a pill of red are offered to Neo. Essentially, stay dead with the blue or wake up with the red.
My intention here is to alert you to #5 on the list from Yahoo. I totally disagree with the writer's assertion that not everyone is called to something. Granted, some may not know, some might have forgotten or some may be trying to kill it. But everyone has a calling.
Sadly, we live in a culture that stands in opposition to your calling.
God weaved the vision in you and I. The crux is what we allow "the Matrix" to take away or kill. Every story is hinged on this conflict.
The Love Affair
Ever thought about how much time you spend working? Ever thought about how much of your identity is shaped by work? Ultimately, I’m speaking to those that work eight or more hours per day in an organization (profit or non-profit). Much has been written about the work place and all of the dysfunctional goings on. But where should all of this land, in light of LIFE?
Some of you will spend thirty or more years working. Your happy, your sad. You get a promotion, you get fired. As someone whose experienced all of those things, I can tell you that my life is not measured in large portion by work. I am learning more and more each day that what matters is what is in my heart. My life will be truly defined by that. Even more importantly, will what’s in my heart “get out?”
Many of you are thinking that you can’t put time and focus on things of the heart. If you’re reading this then you’ve been given the gift of life, therefore successs in the things of the heart is what you should be pursuing.
By the way, you’ll be more of a success in your work when you pursue being a success in the things of the heart.
A Life of Imitation-Updated 2010
I wonder about the identities of high-level executives in today's corporate world. To be fair, I wonder about your identity. This is not meant to judge you, but to express my concern. Sorta like, if you knew I was planning on driving drunk, you'd tell me to hand over the keys. Identity isn't always that straight forward, but it is as important.
Maybe like the CEO, you're someone who became what the organization demanded or seduced you with. What about that burning desire to perform? Regardless, somewhere along the line, a career of imitation began. Now before you say that I'm picking on executives or corporate types here, these statements are for all of us.
Are you who you really are, or are you an imitation? What does the face-behind-the-face look like?
Being authentic requires a willingness to be real. It requires the courage to say, "I don't believe in this crap." Pardon my frankness, but maybe that's where authenticity begins. Saying what we really feel. I'm not recommending that you just blurt something out just because you "feel it." I am recommending that you be honest with yourself by admitting and doing something about it.
So what gives with the imitating? Find the vision and you'll realize that you don't have time to be anyone other than who you are.
In the end, the only people who matter are those who dig the authentic you.