4 Ways to Make Your Leadership Story Worth Reading
In this article, I expand upon four ideas that can aid you in creating a leadership story worth reading.
The leader that earns followership understands their role is a responsibility to serve their people, their customer, and their organization. Truth told, serving is not that difficult. Many of us have an affinity for it. Others do it because they feel it is the right thing to do.
In my view, serving others by itself, is not extraordinary. So let's examine ways that can make your story worth retelling.
Choose to serve with your whole self
A choice for something typically means leaving something else behind. Not in this case. Developing the ShepherdingHeart I write about requires all of you: the good, the bad, and the improving.
You do have to choose.
The choice may require serving others in ways that put their needs above yours temporarily. You okay with that?
Why?
Doing so creates the tension and the drama you need to make your story interesting.
Turn hurt into opportunity
Align your service activities with your core values. Thus, creating a bigger, more sustainable impact. Some people fill their life with serving others resulting in the broken heart experience I think Daymond John describes in a recent tweet. I recently responded to him with a question.
As leaders, we shouldn't shy away from brokenness. Instead, take it and turn it into your best work. Brene Brown says it well in her book, Dare to Lead:
Like all of us, most of the daring, transformational leaders I've worked with have overcome hurtful experiences -- from childhood illness and painful family histories to violence and trauma. The difference between leading from hurt and leading from heart is not what you've experienced or are currently experiencing, it's what you do with that pain and hurt.
Let's turn our hurt into opportunity. You can't serve everyone but you can serve someone. Who can you help best right now?
Fulfill your calling
Many claim to have a calling to serve. I've met them and I believe them.
My perspective on serving is a bit different. I believe that everyone has a gift and called to give it.
We need more people willing to give their gift.
That is the kind of service we need today from people like you and me. People that recognize their gifting and fulfill their calling.
Realizing this is not easy. This is one reason I dedicate some of my time every week to help individuals find theirs. Our world desperately needs you doing your best work in the area you are gifted!
Embrace transformation
The birth of a child, passing of a loved one, or a tragedy often breaks our habit of thinking of only ourselves. When we understand our place in the bigger story, our story begins to transform into one worth reading.
In this step, you begin to realize and embrace the idea that your best story is the one where you are not the central character.
The best part is you get to decide who it is about. Who will you give your gift to, what hurt did you overcome to do it, and how did it make a difference? That is the heart of the story people are waiting for you to write. And it is one worth reading.
What is yours?
Who do you choose to serve?
I don't know what you will do, but I'm excited to find out!
Actions To Consider:
Identify your gift and choose to give it
Turn a hurt into opportunity
Give all of yourself to it
Share your story