If personal satisfaction in your career is alluding you, it might be time to consider finding another path. Volunteering is a good way to test out different roles to see if they are a fit.
Sometimes when we grow up, we follow in our parent's footsteps without ever giving much thought to what we really want. Through volunteering you can experience things that you've never done before. You might think you like something because your parents do, and then find out that you don't after investing a good portion of your time and resources learning and moving up the ladder.
Do you know how to truly express yourself? Do you even know who you are? Do you know how people perceive you? Is who you are harmonious with how people view you? If not maybe you're not expressing yourself clearly. For how you express your goals and dreams, the choices you make, and the actions you take are a direct reflection of your personal leadership.
So, how can you go about making sure you are expressing your true self and personal leadership at work and at home?
“Like beauty is in the mind of the beholder, thought is in the mind, love is in the heart, and truth is in the spirit of a leader. “ ~ Debra J. Slover
Being mindful that you need assistance with your leadership skills is the first step toward eliminating any blocks that you may have developed over the years. The thing about leadership that is more important than managing people or projects, it is guiding and encouraging greatness in yourself and others.
Most adults have grown up with the idea that leadership is a job, title or position, not a way of life that expresses your unique purpose in life. They think that you become a leader by your position in your job or your community and not by the daily actions you take. That is an erroneous example of leadership. The best way to teach children how to be leaders is to let them lead themselves in as much as they are capable of doing.
Emotionally we humans sometimes put up blocks and barriers in order to avoid the reality of our lives. Whether we are in a bad marriage, having troubles in interpersonal relationships, or we are feeling frustrated with our lack of advancement in our career, we lie to ourselves about it. We make up reasons why we don't get along with people and usually we blame them and take no blame on ourselves. We become victims.
Let's get a couple of definitions out of the way first:
1. Vision – the big picture dream about your business
2. Purpose – why you exist
3. Mission – the task you set out to achieve
4. Goal – what you will do to achieve that task
Creating a clear vision for your business takes some thought, big thought, because this is the one time where you can think larger than you normally would, and the opportunity to think in terms of what you hope to ultimately see if you accomplished all your related objectives.
"Do as we say, and not as we do" ~ Giovanni Bocaccio
This quote has often been heard by children all over the world, as "Do as I say, not as I do" as a parent picks up a cigarette, drinks too much, or eats too much food. It has been used for generations when children catch their elders doing things they themselves have been lectured not to do. I am sure that you realize this does not work. Children tend to model the behavior of the adults around them, rather than doing what the adults say to do.
So what is the problem with this?
