It can be stressful, exhausting and near impossible to be high performing all the time.
What can you do to regularly assess your individual and team’s level of inspiration, drive and commitment toward your goals?
Last week we shared with you how to create and make regular use of a Shared Vision to inspire your team, even during busy times. Let me share with you how we created a Shared Vision for ConsciousLead, so you get a sense of flow and impact on people’s motivation.
Purpose: What do we believe in? What are we passionate about that will positively influence others and ourselves?
We believe that there is unknown harm that we communicate to ourselves and others when obstacles and challenges occur. We are passionate about reducing this harm.
We believe that if people knew, they would want to stop the harm they unknowingly contribute, as it leads to more stress, conflict, burnout, gossip and deeper issues that get spread, person to person, in any organization, family, or community.
We believe that obstacles, adversity, challenge and conflicts are inevitable at work, and in life, and that the quality of the results you create in any environment is relative to the quality of your awareness and communication, in a moment. We’re inspired to help people commit to better results.
We are passionate about all of us living happier, healthier, more productive lives, with less shame, blame and guilt.
Destination: Where are we going?
To bring awareness to government, corporate, community, family organizations and couples who work together, about how to reduce unknown harm that is created in your environment because of differing views, beliefs, personal triggers, biases and experiences.
We envision a world where people have the awareness, vulnerability, courage and skill to express their ideas and concerns in an effective and harmless way. We see this contributing to better health and wellness of every individual and organization.
Values: How do we think and act?
At ConsciousLead, these values inform and guide the way we make decisions, act and get back into harmony when pressures, challenges, conflicts, power struggles and stress impact us.
Integrity.
We are each personally responsible for our actions. We have an approach to creating a strong, positively contagious environment. We use a way of speaking with each other to overcome issues, conflicting views and values, status differences, judgements and perceptions where blaming, shaming and guilting are removed. Each of us is responsible for how we carry ourselves in our interactions no matter what our role is. We do not punish people for ‘speaking truth to power’. We honour people by removing hierarchical power plays from our dialogue.
Fun and lightness.
We know that an environment where we can laugh is important for renewed energy, creativity and is a great stress reliever. We infuse fun and lightness into our work to help us recover, refocus, stay stimulated and be humaine.
Helpful, quality conversations.
We believe that ‘honest feedback’ is most often opinion-based feedback. We use helpful, quality conversations which remove blame, shame and guilt to limit defensiveness and allow everyone to thrive and get back into connection and harmony to do great work.
Learning.
We know that mistakes, misunderstandings and misinterpretations will happen and will impact relationships and our ability to work well together. Each team member is coached in the transformative power of conscious communication to recover and get reinvigorated when each of us needs it most and when our interactions need it most.
Listening.
We practice an approach to listening that helps us listen to understand versus just react or respond. We don’t always agree. We know how to disagree healthfully and maintain relationships. Everyone feels heard and respected. We move forward.
Service: What do we offer?
Everyday we see a need for more self-empathy, better communication and healthier relationships. Through one-on-one coaching, partner coaching (couples who work together), team/group coaching and our Leadership Development programs, we offer strategies to reduce and prevent the harm that people cause themselves and others, either intentionally or not.
Connection: How do I contribute to the greater good?
I strive to live by the principles that I share with others. I continuously consider how my thoughts impact my choices and whether or not those choices lead to the outcomes I want. I take care of myself by recognizing when I am reactive, in a moment. I confront my fears and challenges although it is uncomfortable to do so. I initiate recovery conversations each time I recognize the need. I am committed to this because I feel better each time I do it. The results I achieve always reflect my commitment to act in this way.
The ConsciousLead’s Shared Vision:
We used all of the above, and more, to distill our vision into a clear statement that totally fills me up (and avoids vague hyperbole)!
Vague: To be the best Leadership Development Company in the world… blah, blah, blah…
Clear: To reduce the harm caused by daily stress, power struggles and conflicts, by equipping every individual and team with whom we work, with the awareness and communication skills to improve their lives and results.
SO…
What is your Purpose? Your Destination? Does your team know it? Can they easily identify their connection to it? What are your personal values? Do they change from collaborator to taskmaster when you are stressed, tired or when someone resists your idea?
Do you and your team have recovery conversations so that people feel safe, trusted and will share when mistakes, misunderstandings and misinterpretations occur?
Allow your team to master and hold everyone, including you, accountable for practicing quality conversations. This is one step toward identifying and reducing the unknown harm (i.e. gossip, bad feelings, assumptions, judgements, etc.) that will take away from everyone’s confidence, trust and performance.
Use this process, further detailed in my last blog, in every performance conversation, team meeting, and daily interaction. Keep it top of mind as you get things done and make things happen through the help of others. Take the time to ensure everyone contributes to and sees themselves in your final vision statement. This will pay huge dividends in personal and group wellness, engagement and performance. I guarantee it!
#thisisleadership
To hone your leadership skills of self-awareness, commitment and performance click the poster below to learn about our next Conscious Leadership Experience where leaders identify blind spots, practice new ways of thinking, communicating and improving their results.
