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Are You Thinking About Your 'Why' as a Leader?

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Why You Do Things as a Leader Is Just as Important—If Not More—Than What You Do


If I had to guess, I don’t think there’s one of us that’s not feeling a bit drained right now. The emotional toll of navigating change and uncertainty is no small challenge. On top of that, balancing professional responsibilities, personal commitments, and trying to maintain a sense of normalcy can leave us feeling stretched thin. It’s completely normal to feel depleted, and even more so when we're pushed to go beyond our limits.

What is the “Human Part” of Your Mission?

In challenging times, it's important to rely on and communicate your 'why' – the reason you keep showing up. As we know from The Leadership Challenge® it’s during times of high challenge and pressure that we most need to be reminded of our vision – our 'why'.

Right now, all of us need to tap into the human part of our work. For example, two of our  values at FlashPoint are based around investing in relationships and positive impact. And I wondered, how are each of our team members personally connecting to these and, more importantly, how was I connecting to them?

After some reflection, it was empowering to be able to identify that for me living out these values looks like:

  • Strong relationships and connection with the people I work with
  • Being able to support each other, pick up the slack for each other when we’re overwhelmed, encourage each other, celebrate the small wins along the way and help each other grow and develop
  • Helping people stay connected to the things that matter most to them (whether clients or teammates)
  • Living out my own values in a way that connects me to the work and those around me
  • Being able to say at the end of each day that I made a difference for someone, somehow

Putting yourself back in touch with your ‘why’ will help you feel a sense of connection and power. And it may just bring you closer to those around you.

How You Can Start to Think About and Leverage Your 'Why'

  1. You can’t talk about your why in a way that inspires and connects with others until you are clear on it yourself. Start by identifying your why clearly and concisely. If it helps you, write out paragraphs or bullet points or draw pictures. What gets you out of bed in the morning? Why do you show up at work? What is the difference you are making for others? These questions might help you gain clarity around your why.
  2. Consider how your personal values fuel your why. Think about one personal value that feels most compelling to you in these unprecedented times. How might it connect to your why? What might living out that value more intentionally right now look like for you, and what positive impact could it have on others?
  3. When you think about the direction your team or organization is heading, how does your own why connect to the organization’s vision? Once you know that, you can more authentically rally your team around where you are headed together. Talking about your why and how it relates to the vision helps move your team from a "we have to” mindset, to a “we get to”.

Being able to communicate to your team why they matter and why the work you do together matters, makes all the difference. You might just be the breath of fresh air that someone else needs in a given moment. Taking some time to reconnect to your own why will help you show up more effectively and humanly with your team.

Carve out time this week to give your personal why the thought and attention it deserves. If you feel like you struggle with identifying your why, you might consider attending The Leadership Challenge® Workshop in March, where you will have time to reflect on your why and learn how to give voice to it in an inspiring way.

Photo by Jules Bss on Unsplash

Now more than ever, organizations need leaders equipped with the right tools to inspire, engage, and drive meaningful results. Join us Thursday, February 13th for a 45-minute webinar designed to introduce you to The Leadership Challenge® Workshop and Facilitation Training, where you’ll discover the leadership tools essential to building stronger, more effective teams.

Unlock Effective Leadership with The Leadership Challenge Workshop Webinar

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