Who Writes Our Leadership Story Matters
Our story matters. It matters a lot.
While our story belongs to us, we must beware of those who would make it their own. If we are not purposeful, others will take it and rewrite it from their perspective.
Fine when it is theirs to tell, but not when it is ours. Therefore, I encourage you to think hard about what belongs in your story and what doesn't.
Our story grounds us to who we are at our center.
What difference does it make?
Quite a bit; actually.
When we fail to tell our own story, people may ascribe to us untrue motivations, introduce new villains, and even make themselves the heroes by taking credit for our work and any success we achieve.
The good news is, we get to decide who influences our story and what the overall narrative should be. While we may not get to decide its ending, we do get to describe our journey; where we came from and where we are heading.
What is your story? Who is important to you? Which of your values will come through when someone reads it?
Exploring your story
I've found that most people have special times when they interpret life events and think about how they fit into their life story. When do you do this?
I use significant milestones (birthday, holidays, anniversaries) to reflect on where I have come from and think where my current path might take me.
What impacts our story
Who are the people we love?
Where did we come from (our roots)?
What troubles have we faced and how did we respond?
What are our greatest joys of life?
Who are those people who have stood against us?
What is at our center?
Actions to consider
Write down what is most important to you right now.
Make a list of what events most shaped you.
Tie together your values to each event and what are the stories you could tell about it.
Donald Miller has an important book about how to craft a story. You might want to check it out.