LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MY THREE YEAR OLD
Determination – What you focus on is what you get
Dear Santa, all Max wants for Christmas is a grabber!
Where he got the idea, is anyone’s guess. He saw them somewhere and decided they would come in very handy for him.
He wrote to Santa and asked for grabbers, he saw Santa and asked for grabbers. If you ask him what he wants for Christmas, he will say “grabbers”!
Funnily enough, since making this decision, he has, on a number of occasions found opportunities where grabbers would be required.
- Picking up Lego that has fallen behind the lounge, “hey mum, I could use my grabbers for this”;
- Reaching the marshmallows for his Maxacinno; “mum, if I had my grabbers I could reach them”;
- Finding a toy he has dropped from his car seat; “mum, this is why I want my grabbers”.
It would appear that the more he focuses on his grabbers and the greater the want, the more opportunities present themselves.
Imagine what it would be like to be so focused on what you want that you cannot help but unconsciously create and see opportunities presenting themselves over and over.
Throughout my career, I have seen and heard people be very clear about what they DON’T want.
Do you ever hear yourself saying…
- I don’t want to fail
- I don’t want to upset anyone
- I don’t want to miss any opportunities
- I don’t want to do this job anymore
- I don’t want to disappoint my team
- I don’t want to feel this way
- I don’t know what I want
Imagine if you could be clear about your passion and purpose, if you could truly identify what you are good at, your unique talents, have a greater awareness of your own behaviour and how it both helps and hinders your performance – it could completely change the way you experience the world around you!
When we are aware of our talents and apply them to our performance we deliver greater results in all areas of our lives. When we understand our natural behavioural style and learn new, effective ways to communicate with others who are different to us, we improve our engagement in all areas of our lives.
The Gallup Strengths organisation recently accumulated evidence across its client data estimating the average performance increase as a result of education on individual strengths and recorded a 33% greater engagement among employees. Among those, productivity data, based on post strengths education or awareness and coaching increased by 7.8%. The research also showed reduction in turnover and increase in overall profitability. All this is based on awareness and development of your unique talents.
So, Back to my three year old Max: I find the quickest way to change his behaviour is to find something he likes doing and have him do more of it!
As adults engaged in lifelong learning, we are reminded in the simplest of ways that when we put our talents to work and create opportunities to use them so they become our natural strengths, we discover just how much we can contribute to our overall success.
Do you want to hear yourself saying….?
- I continue to create opportunities where I am valued.
- I am resilient and make considered decisions with an understanding of my impact on others.
- I am always open to new opportunities.
- I am passionate about what I do, and the results I get.
- I am a great role model for leadership and engagement.
- I feel good about myself.
- I know what I want and I am doing it!
This is How in a few easy steps.
So, if you’re my 3 year old Max…
- See something you really want.
- Convince yourself & others through repetition all the reasons you require this gift include specific examples.
- Truly believe that Santa thinks you’re very good all year and will deliver it to your door!
- Have some amazing sugar plum fairies for parents.
- Have the true belief that even if you’re a little bit naughty, it will probably still happen.
Now the grown up leadership version…
- Discover your top 5 talents, understand your own behavioural style and how your leadership behaviour impacts self and others.
- Think of a time where you felt truly motivated and engaged in what you were doing. What was that? How does it relate to your top talents. What do you see, hear, feel, think in this situation!
- Decide what would have to happen to create more of that! Now, what do you need to do differently to bring that to life. (Make a Decision to act)
- Set a goal based on what you want more of and a strategy to get there. (Create an Outcome)
- Truly Believe that you can do it. (Determination)
- Find yourself an accountability partner to keep you on track.
(Take Action) - Believe there is no failure only feedback so when something doesn’t go to plan you can learn from it and then do something else! (Resilience)
Believe even if you are a little bit naughty. Santa will still come!😜
In 2017, learn more about discovering your passion and purpose. Change your thinking to create new, resourceful experiences based on your natural talents, behaviours and strengths!