Week 47 - XLR8 The Passionate Leader

While Peter Drucker didn’t make this up, he influenced many CEO’s by asking: What is “the essence of your company?” The ultimate answer is beyond just making a profit or creating wealth for stakeholders; the essence of a company is making a difference, being really useful and creating something the world truly needs. Employee engagement is the buzz word of the 21^st century, and this is the best way for a company to tap into the full potential of its employees.

At some point in our Leadership journey, this mission becomes more important than anything. We often need to be reminded because we get caught up in our own self interest or the day-to-day challenges our business encounters. These often not so subtle reminders from the universe help us not only to become more deeply conscious of the purpose of our work, but may require us to reinvent the very meaning of our leadership journey. Believe it or not, that process is very exciting even though it may be very painful at first.

Zig Ziglar’s Inspiration: 365 Days a Year

• My favorite quote for the week of November 22^nd – 28^th: “The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.” George Bernard Shaw
• This is the foundation for the Law of Attraction. So why doesn’t everyone have what they want? Because as author James Allen observed: “We do not attract that which we want but that which we are.”
• I like the way Wayne Dyer explains this in his latest book: Excuses Begone! Who I am is first and foremost determined by what I believe. We really have it backwards most of the time. “I’ll believe it when I see it” should really be “believe it and I’ll see it!”

• The Best Year of Your Life: Get Debbie Ford's Kit
• Week Forty-Six: Create a Plan of Action!
• I added several new markers to my Passions! It is so motivating. Note to self: New Years is around the corner – a great time to celebrate and plan.
• Week Forty-Seven: Count Your Blessings
• This is appropriate for us Americans given that this coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. Most of our discontent stems from our inability to appreciate what we already have. Without gratitude, we become trapped in an endless cycle of wishing and wanting life to be different.
• No matter what your circumstances are on Thursday, make a list of all the things in your life for which you are grateful. If for some reason you choose to feel otherwise, then follow Gandhi’s lead – “the best way to feel gratitude is to serve others.”

• Creating a Culture of Leadership Development – A Drop for Your Bucket!!! Send an electronic drop or comment by going to the blog (click on this blog’s heading – Wake Up the Passionate Leader above) and click on the “comment” icon at the end of this week’s posting.
• Developing people is one of the most fulfilling aspects of leadership. I have the pleasure of working with some “younger” leaders (alright everyone I work with is younger than me). He shared the story of an “older” guy . . . let’s call him Bill . . . who recently talked about getting some new experiences as a direct result of working with him. Bill was given an expanded assignment in his current job not too long ago. With some good coaching, these new responsibilities, which got him out of his comfort zone, reinvigorated Bill. He hasn’t landed a new job yet, but he is getting further out of his comfort zone and interviewing. Congratulations to them both – that’s how it’s supposed to work!

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