where you do have power and where you don't. In other words, where you actually can choose or make change and where you cannot. Then be responsible – act on your 'ability-to-respond' (response-ability). Find your true choices and grow in your strength to respond to those choices. Then show others how to do the same – lead.
What are you a 'bright spot' for? That's where you have the potential to lead. Are you a leader?
Your ultimate role as leader
The ultimate leader is one who grows leaders. The ultimate leader sees everyone as a leader and grows people in their power to make choices and be responsible for their choices. A leader who doesn't grow leaders creates a serious problem in the long-term. They keep all the choices for themselves, and then have the massive burden of total responsibility. This leads to burnout and top-heavy groups. Leaders that horde power do so for one of a few reasons: the boss – fear of delegating power. The problem: fearing that others cannot do a good enough job. This manifests as a, 'I might as well do it myself' mentality. The consequence: overburdened, bottlenecks, 'sheep-like' disempowered followers, burnout. Solution: use the above formula. Educate people to be able to make the decisions (choices) they need to, and to become fully equipped to handle the consequences of the choices (responsibility). Another type of leader that does not create new leaders is the tyrant – someone who is power hungry. The root of this problem is the hording power and control to manipulate others, to get what you want. The consequence: abuse of power, keeping others disempowered and ignorant for personal greed; the ultimate destruction of resources or anarchy. And the solution, if you are this type of leader, is to look at your conscience. If you are led by this type of person, consider what choices you have and empower yourself. Another leadership type is that of the blind – which is characterised by ignorance of responsibilities. The problem is not having clarity on what choices truly are yours to make and therefore of what you are responsible for. The consequence is indecision, confusion, power struggles, conflict, duplication of efforts, slow progress. And the solution is, again, to use the formula outlined above – get clear (absolutely) on what choices are yours to make and empower yourself to make those choices. Make sure that everyone you work with is also clear and that everyone knows whose choices are whose.
1
The power formula
To use the power formula to grow your leaders and your own leadership, make a three-column page for every role/ area of life or work. List the choices (decisions) that define that role. Then scale 1-10 (10 being totally comfortable, 1 being not comfortable at all) with the responsibility for that choice. This shows you where you can grow. Coach an increase in the scale, 'How can I increase my comfort with being able to make this choice?' Example, below:
POWER Area to improve
RESPONSIBILITY CHOICE 3/10 Budget spend
8/10 Area to improve 4/10 10/10
What we do with our time What software is used What deadlines are realistic for the project How to market
Area to improve
1/10
When assessing leadership skill use the formula and the three columns to define and track leadership growth to help you become the leader you were born to be. Look at the following topics and list the 'solutions' that your journey has brought you: Life experience • Skills • Know-how • Obstacles that you have overcome - inner and outer. Leadership coaching questions to ask yourself: Which of these solutions do you care the most about? Which are you passionate about? Which of these solutions would you love to share with others? (Highlight them). Who might be seeking these solutions (in your business or community or country or even in the world)? If these solutions were shared with others what would that mean to you? How valuable are these solutions? What impact might these solutions make in the world? How could you communicate these solutions to others to lead them? What articles could you write? What talks could you give? What conversations could you share? How else could you share the solutions?
?www.beatthemonster.com/find-the-bright-spots www.positivedeviance.org
For Free life coaching lessons and videos from Colleen-Joy visit www. innerlifeskills.com
ODYSSEY?72
•?
DIGIMAG