For most of us who have been in leadership positions for decades, there is a cellular knowledge that we need to keep growing personally and professionally. Avoiding that reality results in apathetic or aggressive, will-based leadership. Although there are numerous ways to do so, may I suggest a specific avenue?
A perfect antidote, and one that expands our leadership as well as ourselves, is in volunteering, or for a minimal fee, assisting other organizations, whether small entrepreneurial entities, a non-profit organization, or possibly simply mentoring someone.
I am so aware, as I imagine you are also, that with many of the organizations I have believed in and supported, effective leadership can be in short supply. Good intentions, a powerful purpose, and a willingness to work can be in abundance but without a clear path for action those traits can quickly fall by the wayside.
If your gift is in developing business plans, your skills may be greatly needed at an organization that promotes your values and interests yet needs help getting firmly established. Your assistance can take them from survival to thriving. For one I supported, it took the members from reactionary mode dealing with one crisis after another, some self-made, to operating with a clear agenda of focusing on expanding membership only once they had a solid foundation and the “Welcome Aboard” could be seamless.
If your skill is in team development, your strengths, insights, and wisdom may be a life saver for an organization not recognizing putting people where their skills are rather than where they need a body makes for a far happier worker, especially a volunteer.
Nowhere in this am I suggesting putting yourself into overwhelm. Having solid boundaries on the time you can afford to offer is imperative before you start. However, with that clear, not only do you get to use your skills with something that far more quickly feeds your sense of impact and purpose, the results and appreciation show up almost immediately. Both feed us emotionally and spiritually and yet may be harder or slower to come by in your own business. If not, just expanding your world a little can be a breath of fresh air. You get to see life and “success” in a whole other enterprise.
However, and whatever you do that works for you, knowing you are so blessed you have the ability to choose is a gift in itself. Using our leadership skills by helping others in need is certainly paying it forward – and great Karma. I wish you the best of weeks.
