LeadYourShip by Monique A J Smith

I start all my professional development workshops with two questions "How many Leaders do I have in the house?" and "As a leader, would you like to have additional tools for your leadership journey that I call "Lead Your Ship?" The answer should always be yes.

 

The first person, a leader, must lead is herself. That requires self-awareness and, more directly, awareness of what drives her decisions. After self-examination, you will be surprised how often we let outside influences direct our actions and selections, even when it comes to lifelong choices of employment and mates. How we are socialized plants particular bias in our minds. However, as we become exposed to different points of view and opportunities, we grow to have an expanded view.

 

When you are aware of your decisions, you have a compass to guide you to your desired destination; I call them your guiding principles. Imagine having so many opportunities from different directions that you begin to fishtail out of control. These opportunities can come from people within your immediate circle or influences from social media posts. If you are not aware of your principles, you will steer in the direction of whatever comes your way. You begin to respond unconsciously and maybe even want what others have based on the perception of what you see. Note advertisers know the power of unconscious persuasion. You see, "Smooth Sailing with this product," but that docked ship is at the yacht club, and you don't know the journey nor the repairs that ship took to get to that great location.  

 

When I ask young people, "what do you want to do with your life? I hear, "Make Money." My follow-up is "How much money are you spending now?" not how much money do you make now. The future forecast is shown in your habits and determines if you will honor your decisions. 

 

Recently this dialog took place with a ballplayer who wants to play overseas after college.

  I asked her what she needed to do now to reach that goal.

  Her answer was, "Get in shape." 

Digging deeper, I asked, "What does that look like?" 

Her response "I need speed and endurance."

My instructions were to concentrate on one thing now, 

her answer "keep running." 

I asked how far? 

Her answer

"How every far my (college) coach tells me to?"

Flashing warning signs! So who is really leading her ship? The forecast is that the ship isn't leaving the dock, no passport is needed. As my husband, a former student-athlete says, "Someday, you will have to blow your own whistle."

 

Do not let someone or something else determine your habits, routines, and guiding principles if it is your personal goal. Periodically, self-examine your influences. Are you aligned? Is it going to help you reach your desired destination? 

Remember "Own Your Ship to Lead Your Ship" ™

 

Join AdvanceWithMoniqueAJSmith.info for more leadership training and insights.

Learn more about Monique at http://seedsofempowerment.info/ Twitter: @HostofChat