Tonight while preparing for my upcoming Leadership Academy I was faced with the new idea of "Challenge with Purpose". I am having to read The Leadership Challenge: How To Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations by James Kouzes and Barry Posner to prepare for this upcoming academy. This idea struck a cord with me tonight as I was setting in my back yard reading my book while my neighbors worked in their garden and mowed their yards. They were being productive physically while I was mentally preparing for my ultimate life challenge that some will never achieve...becoming a leader in my community, county, state, and nation. I am not bragging by any means. This is a daunting task that somewhat scares me! Yes, I know that I am currently a leader, but hopefully I can learn how to do it better and with a more focused purpose. Someone saw enough value and potential in me that they selected me to be attend this academy to prepare me for whatever future leadership challenge that I might ever be put up against. I hope this Savage Girl can meet these upcoming challenges and start implementing what I learn into action in my daily life. Getting back to why "Challenge with Purpose" struck a cord with me. Here are four things that I concluded that we each should do in order to bring "Challenge with Purpose" into our lives:
1. Stop complaining.
I get approached all the time to do something new or try something out. I have people that give me ideas and share possibilities. People are simply trying to "share" things that could happen or that should be happening with the things I am involved in within my job or in the community. It finally clicked with me that these people are simply complaining. Stop complaining people! Put action into your words and start creating a vision, goals, and purpose. Why tell me because I am just one person! It is OK to ask questions and challenge what has been done in the past. I do this every day! But you also have to be willing to actively help deal with those challenges and uncertainties that are happening within your life situation or what is currently going on that you want to fix. I am just one person and I cannot do everything. Volunteer to help us make changes in our community. Volunteer to make that change in your workplace that you always wanted to see happen. Enlist yourself to help out instead of setting on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do it! I cannot do it alone. I need help. The groups I work with can only accomplish so much. Trust me we can find you a place where you will fit in.
2. Begin listening and start.
If you want to ask why something is done a particular way...take a tip from me and begin to listen to the responses you are getting when you ask questions. After listening to the responses you are given analyze the situation, come up with a game plan and put some of those answers into action. If you have ideas help make them goals and put them into action and begin working towards achieving them. You can start your own group if you know there is an area currently being undeserved. Don't wait for someone else to do it! You can help too! Stop the excuses. Start. Find people who have the same interest, same passion, and same drive as you do and enlist them to join your group.
3. Share a whoopie pie occasionally.
Together we all can make a difference. You can have your project and I can have my project. Let's point our arrows in the same direction. Support my team and I will support your team. We are better together than we are separate. A whole whoopie pie is better than a bite of one. When whoopie pie ingredients are perfectly measured out, carefully mixed together, baked to perfection, whipped cream goodness spread in the middle, and served to others usually something sweet happens. Comfort and happiness is shared. If it is an awesome whoopie pie then others want the recipe so they can make it themselves at home. Share your recipe with them and don't leave any ingredients out. Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Don't sugar coat any of the important details. The more we can share our recipe with others the better our communities, families, and lives can be and together we can begin making a difference.
We need to turn our challenges into opportunities and purposes. We need to rise to the occasion instead of complaining to others. We all have the power, the force and the drive within us if there is passion and if it is something we really care about. If we want to really resolve something and improve a situation, then there should not be any excuse for what is stopping us. If we keep eating the same kind of pie all the time it will begin to taste dull and old...so change it up and seize the opportunities to try something new for the first time. Find your passion and start sharing it with others. Be on the lookout for people to share pie with, but don't complain! Listen and share. Sharing your pie means that you might find some new ideas yourself and you might also find others who have the same passion you do.
Get out there and begin making whoopie pies, but do not forget to stop complaining to others, begin listening and start, share a whoopie pie occasionally, and find your passion! Last but not least be open and willing to discover new possibilities but keep in mind you need to "Challenge with Purpose".
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