How do you give back to those that have helped you?
Do you recall that moment when you stepped into your role as leader, you gave a talk, you where coaching somebody or walking in nature, at the coffee machine, in a talk, reading a book, looking at another, being with your team, where you were in awe. Time slows or stops, you stare and there is a recognition this is it. This moment is amazing, you know it and then it disappears as fast it came: you have undergone change, or you have had an impact on someone else.
These moments of awe often, connect me to all the people that have helped me develop. Today I’m invited to give a remote talk at Buddhist centre in Australia, which I rarely do and I offered this freely. I did this out of gratitude for everyone who has supported me in getting to where I am now. Here is a list from my time as a monk.
the Abbot of the monastery where I lived as a monk
my supervisor,
my psychotherapist
my breathwork trainer
the hundreds of people if not thousand that put food in my begging bowl as a monk.
The psychotic man that slapped in the face when I was a monk.
The five-year-old school child asking me a question which I did not know how to answer
Rarely, as some leaders I speak to think, are we doing it alone, how could we?
Becoming an influential leader, coach, parent, and well human is based on the generosity of somebody giving you their attention and care, for some it maybe be horribly little and for others abundant.
Finding the right type of support is crucial to our development as human beings. For some it might be nature, mountains and caves and for other it will be therapist, partner, friend or their children.
Last week Professor Dacher Keltner released his book on Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder. As he says in his book awe can foster wonder, creativity and collaboration. He define awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world”.
Who or what are you grateful for that has helped you become this person you are.
Wishing you an awesome, inspired and reflective day.
P.S
My talk is at the same time as this post goes live, I appreciated and value your comments and I will answer them later in the day.
#executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #gratitude
Find the linkedin post here
