Leadership Checkpoint
2021 is right around the corner. It’s an exciting time of year with fresh starts and new chances to get it right. New Years is also a time for many short-lived resolutions. A chance for us to do more and try harder, only to end up discouraged. I believe this is because many times we focus on changing outward activities without addressing the underlying causes. We try to treat symptoms, not the cause. We seek behavior modification when what we need is Heart and Mind Transformation. Behavior modification may work short term but when our resolve wears down, we revert back to our norm.
I’ll share a personal example of reflection as we head into the New Year. I shared my passion for Agile and Servant Leadership and how it has shaped the type of leader I aspire to be. Then, last week I was reading the Bible with my daughter and we read Mark 10: 42-45:
“42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
It was humbling. It reminded me what true Servant Leadership is and how far off I am from the standard. I am still fighting barriers to truly serve others and put their needs ahead of my own. I want control, comfort, approval, image, and validation. When I see this disconnect I can either focus on changing habits to make me feel like I am better than I am or I can dig deep to understand what am I thinking or believing that is creating these barriers.
My challenge for us as we enter this new year is not to try to staple fruit to prove we are a good tree. Not to try harder to prove we have value. But to understand our true value, worth and identity does not come from our performance. That real freedom comes from security outside of what others think of us or how successful we are. The freedom from trying to manufacture our worth is what I believe is a key component to enabling long standing transformation.
So, will I make resolutions? Sure, I believe in reflecting and seeking ways to improve. I think it’s good to evaluate and course correct. Although, I am going to change it to Happy New Month to increase the iterations. I believe our habits begin in our thinking, values, and beliefs so let’s make sure we get that right going into the new year to give us a chance of sustaining the positive changes we are looking for.
Happy New Month to you and yours.
