The Gift of Leadership
It’s been a long fall – I had rotator cuff surgery on October 4th – and the pain was worse post-surgery than pre-surgery. The fun part was being off of work for almost 6 weeks, doing therapy in what I affectionately called the “Torture Chair”, and getting a small glimpse into what retirement would look like.
It also gave me a lot of time to think and reflect. I thought a lot about who I am and the message I want to share with others. I had the opportunity to present to a large group of Municipal Clerks on Forward Focused Leadership and it all came full circle. Who I am and what I want to share are the same. Helping others realize the potential and greatness they have inside of them –and leaving the negative self-talk behind – and building the best possible life for themselves. That best possible life doesn’t have to include “things”, but building our best possible life with being true to your authentic self, knowing and practicing your “why” and spreading your positivity to others.
It’s rare that you can go through a day without hearing several negative news stories, or get bogged down on everything that may be doing wrong in your life. When you work on focusing on the positive those events won’t affect you as profoundly. Turn your have to’s into your get to’s. Be thankful for the good in your life. Focus on being the person who will be remembered not for what they gave monetarily, but what they gave through caring, compassion and love. Work on leaving your positive legacy.
My sister had a very dear friend who passed away several months ago. He was a Brigadier General, worked several years in Washington D.C. in high powered positions and was definitely a man who knew how to get things done. His funeral was filled with State and National leaders, representatives of his years in the military, friends and family. From the outside looking in, the guy was a big deal and well deserving of all the honors and accolades paid to him. But then I heard a story….
To preface all of this, I have known this man since my youth. To me he was always extremely intimidating and definitely sucked the air out of a room when he entered it because of his presence. So yes, I am admitting he scared me – or maybe just awed me to the point of being totally intimidated! But, I digress – so back to the story I heard.
Again, Bob was a Brigadier General, worked for Senator Reed in D.C., probably hob-knobbed with people I only ever get to read about. But this man, whose work schedule was so busy, took time to put on his uniform and great every Honor Flight that came into D.C. He took time to mentor those who sought him out. While he actually does have his name on a building in Nevada, the legacy he left was that of a man who cared about others and went out of his way to help whenever he could. The impact he made on others’ lives left a legacy that surpasses any name on a building.
It’s because of the impact we can have on others –both positive and negative – that I am so passionate about positive leadership. If talking to groups allows even one person to take something away from what I said and turn into a more positive person going forward, I am laying the foundation to my legacy.
That is why I am so excited to be part of the Forward Focused Leadership Coaching Program. It is an amazing opportunity to work with a group of female leaders for 8 weeks and do some deep dives into who they are as a person, and as a leader. After our first session last year, the feedback was so wonderful. Debi Wilcox and I are gearing up for our second session which will start in January, 2022. If you are ready to kick off a New Year’s Resolution, why not do something that will benefit you and be pretty painless! Join us for 8 weeks of leadership building and meeting some amazing women along the way.
Register by clicking the below link:
https://debiwilcox.com/forward-focused-leadership
