LEADING WITH GREATNESS

“We are not here merely to make a living. We are here to enrich the world.”
~ Woodrow Wilson

Whether you are extraordinary at something or everything, I bet you strive to be your greatest in whatever you do; or at least you want to believe that of yourself. (Or if you don’t, why not?) 

You’re inspired by people who add value to life and work. If all of us were to add value all the time, it would be nirvana on this planet! Oh well. Not yet. I keep envisioning it and working towards it anyway.

Because the thing is, it works both ways: 

If we want to be valued in our life and be paid what we are worth, we must also add value. We must value others as we want to be valued.

When we do, we get far more in return than we ever dreamed possible! The time is ripe for those who want to take a quantum leap in every aspect of their life. 

Go from Doing Great to Leading with Greatness.   

Greatness is resident within each of us, and each moment an opportunity to express that greatness. For all too many of us, we miss these moments because we are sound asleep with the TV still running, incoming emails flooding in, and our phones within reach 24/7.

We all have to wake ourselves up now and again. The surest way to do that is to ask yourself if you are always adding value. Try looking from an outside perspective: Are you?

Whatever we choose as our approach must offer a new perspective, and bring about renewed passion and commitment. The outcome will always be a significant improvement in results and quality on every level. That translates into prosperity.

What I’ve learned is that the movers and shakers of the world relish the opportunity to fine tune and stretch their capacity to lead in these VUCA times. Even more so, they know that honing their capacity for authenticity ensures that they will thrive as a leader in these challenging times. 

We all aim to keep our personal and professional lives in balance. But realizing this simple goal becomes a struggle when buffeted constantly with destabilizing sound bites, constant emails announcing disruptive shifts in our world, and demands on the personal front. Add that to having to deal with the pressures of invigorating work life, keeping the home fires burning, and making time for just having fun. Whew!

That’s why powerful people look for masterful coaches who add value by moving them to greatness while building unforgettable legacies.

I’m reminded that more and more of us are wanting to realize our visions for a greater, sustainable future for ourselves, our loved ones, our workplace, our community, and our planet. What I’ve found is that today’s trailblazers and game-changing leaders on the vanguard of the future are seeking to make meaning as well as money, and build legacies as well as bank accounts.

What’s become paramount is that if we are to reach our greatness, we all must take a good look at our lives, our leadership, and our relationships by continuously checking in on the value we’re adding. 

We may see ourselves as “together” folks who know what we want and may even have it all. Yet it’s easy to lose our way. The only way to move forward at this 11th hour of democracy, humanity, and the earth is for each of us to unfailingly double-check the value we are adding. 

Determine what needs to be jettisoned, and what needs more value added, for you to reach and sustain optimal fulfillment and happiness—and truly live your greatness.

A pervasive theme I hear all too often is pain and betrayal, disappointment, disillusionment, and discouragement—and exhaustion! Always in overdrive. Many know better, but the challenges are coming even faster these days. End result: the Great Resignation we see taking place. Thankfully followed by the “Grand Return” of workers who will be truly valued, who add value and will be paid what they are worth. 

That’s where the rubber meets the road. We are being called upon to make the future work as we navigate without a “new normal” to tell us what’s next! We need more hope, self-agency, self-authority, and more action by each and every one of us. We need more enlightened leadership committed to continuously adding value. It starts with you and me.

Whatever your situation, be sure to ask yourself: What is keeping me from adding the value I can uniquely offer the world? Next step: building the future you dream of!

How are you adding value in your everyday life?

Photo by Alex Alvarez via Unsplash