6th Installment of our Self-Coaching Process
Blueprint for real transformation and success for individual employees/executives, teams and organizations
STEP 2: PURPOSE, THE SECOND P
“To recapture spirit, we need to relearn how to lead with soul. Leading with soul returns us to ancient spiritual basics – reclaiming the enduring human capacity that gives our lives passion and purpose.” – Bolman and Deal, Leading with Soul
If you wish to succeed and lead a team/organization towards success, the most powerful way to achieve this is to lead with soul.
It has to begin with you getting in touch with your own soul and letting your soul, the wisest and most powerful part of you lead you! The next step is to lead others with soul so that you can engage their spirit, their hearts and souls as an exceptional leader. The way to do this is to bring purpose into the business of running an organization.
Before we venture any further, let me explain. Spirit and soul exist in all of us, independent of religious beliefs, practice or organizations. Think of an executive who is highly creative and totally enthusiastic, someone who is fully engaged with his work. He is bringing his high energy and innovation to work. All organizations need employees who take such valuable gifts of their spirit with them to the office.
Now, think of an employee who is completely committed to a value-based business mission that resonates with her. Doubtless, she shows up for work with her soul. Organizations would, of course, need such employees whose souls are aligned with their work and who feel they are an integral part of a greater business mission.
Businesses are therefore compelled to have a greater purpose and mission than, for instance, to merely provide shareholders a return on their investment.
The idea of spirit and soul can be perceived as a concept that is tangible, capable of producing positive measurable business results. We can see and measure them in operation in an organization, if we know what to look for.
We can make full use of them for the benefit of both the individual and the organization, if we know how. The goal then must be to understand their potential presence and dynamics and how they can positively impact a business corporation.
I see this holistic approach as being both highly practical and direly needed in the running of the workplace and, in fact, the whole world (as its inhabitants). Adopting this coaching strategy would not be adopting the latest fad to manage organizations.
We designed it to be a revolutionary way forward, a groundbreaking approach that gives people back their dignity and personal power, gets everyone focused on what’s really there rather than ignoring it (human spirit/soul) as we have done for centuries, and achieves astounding results in the process.
We are dealing with something that is present in all of us, regardless of whether we wish to acknowledge its presence or not. It is also something that is paradoxically beyond and independent of us, even if it is an integral part of us. It cannot be manipulated as such.
We must use this approach with utmost integrity and sincerity, to create highly successful companies that people love working at and feel they belong to; and that is highly profitable at the same time.
To adopt this approach, real leadership qualities are required: open-mindedness, honesty, courage and imagination, for starters. It means that you are required to first look at yourself and then get your team/organization to look at their individual selves and the team/organization as a whole (with you leading them).
It also means that you have to be purposeful in your approach and together with your team/organization come up with a powerful purpose that everyone or most can identify and align with.
This approach will help you achieve whatever your goal or objective is right now, and your larger or overall goals and objectives. The issue of purpose answers the question “why”, why are you doing what you are doing.
It will also pose the following questions:
What is it that is driving you? What makes you get up in the morning, go to work with a burning passion and desire to succeed, and makes you work the hours you work or dig deep within yourself for inspired ideas to emerge? What makes you go beyond yourself, to work well with your team mates and contribute towards fulfilling the shared vision and mission?
This approach is therefore the objective observation of human and organizational behaviour, way beyond the surface (that has been the standard practice until now), into the depths below the easily observable.
Again, it requires SUPERCOACHING and Supercoaches to be able to do the job and to help you do the job well, both for yourself and your team/organization. Remember, if you are genuine about it, it brings great benefit to yourself and enormous profits to your organization rather quickly. How quickly and how much profits again depends on you and how committed you and your entire organization are to the process of real change.
We can certainly show you how.
With regard to Step 1 and the Principle of Permission, have you already had success with it? How about having quiet time and going inward, meditating even? Have you made a habit out of it and adopted it as part of a powerful new way of living, that makes you an even more powerful leader at work and in life?
It’s about doing things differently to get different results from what you’re already getting, desired results that will take you to the next level! If inside-out processes are already very much part of your life, ask yourself what else you can do that will take you to higher levels. Read these blog posts with an open mind and an open heart; contemplate on them from your soul’s perspective and decide what you can adopt and use immediately that would make a difference in your life/team/organization! And please share with us: either post comments here or drop me a line!
2 Comments
One of the things that helped me breakaway from my negative mindset during a bout of depression in 2001 was to re-establish my sense of purpose.
My sense of purpose also helped me through overcoming my panic disorder, social phobia and agoraphobia in 2002. Today, whenever, i sense a relapse ahead, I prevent and reduce the impact of a relapse through a re-assertion of my purpose.
Thank you for your comment, Surya! Forgive the delay in response; it’s been a busy time workwise, preparing for a fantastic 2010 and also with the ongoing Christmas and holiday festivities!
I’m so glad to hear that by establishing and re-establishing a strong sense of purpose, you’ve overcome the challenges you’ve had. The panic disorder and phobias you mentioned arise out of great fear. By having a powerful purpose, you’ve brought the light in, which dispels the fear. Well done, Surya! I look forward to meeting you in the New Year! All the very best to you in the meantime!!