4 Ways to Shape the World Today
The world shapes people. But Harvard psychologist William James (1842-1910) believed in the “power of the individual.” You shape the world.
Shape the world or be shaped by it. Teamwork is destructive when it coddles weakness and tolerates incompetence. Distributed leadership is no excuse for irresponsibility.
Adapting vs. shaping:
Adapting is destructive apart from vision.
Adapt to the present so you can shape the future. I’ve heard it said we should be like water. Go with the flow. You might smooth the edges of sharp rocks in 10,000 years if you’re water.
Adapting is beginning where you are. Accept people as they are. See the world as it is. Acknowledge current dynamics. Don’t judge. Aspire for improvement. Don’t go with the flow unless oblivion is your goal.
Shaping the world requires vision. Imagine something better. Forget about the shining city on a hill. Imagine a better team today. Better still, imagine yourself a better leader today. How will you shape your attitude and behaviors into the leader you aspire to become?
4 ways to shape the world today:
#1. Belief:
Leaders who shape the world believe in others. See opportunity in people. Notice strengths. Watch for those who rise to challenges. Delegate to aspiration.
Believe people rise.
#2. Try stuff:
Do something small before you try something huge. Express gratitude to build relationships this morning. Challenge people in the afternoon by saying, “That’s a great idea. What comes to mind when you take it just a bit further?”
#3. Confront conformity:
Conformity is necessary to connect. But conformity as a way of life is invisibility. What’s your viewpoint? Develop it. Explore it. Challenge it. Share it.
#4. Don’t demonize:
You can’t influence and antagonize at the same time. Don’t insult the people who built the team by complaining about everything. “We can be better,” is more useful than, “Everybody sucks.”
What are you doing today to shape the world?
What concerns you about leaders who want to shape the world?
Dig deeper:
Choose How You Show Up Before You Show Up
How to Shape Your Culture (hbr.org)
“Adapting is beginning where you are. Accept people as they are. See the world as it is. Acknowledge current dynamics.” – I like this view of adapting and its close tie to Accepting. I think I would counter there is a time to go with the flow and to remind oneself of vision. Sometimes the tumultuous waters carry of where we were meant to be rather than where we thought we should be (our vision). It seems to be a harmonious dance that is tended to.
Thanks for adding your insights, Kelly. You are so right. Anyone who always fights against the flow gets exhausted! It all depends where the flow is going.
Dan I would respectfully add to Belief that leaders and the team need a shared belief in the organization’s ongoing success and mission.
Brad
Wonderful, Brad. There are several facets of belief that I didn’t include. I’m glad you add that import component.