Relaxing into one’s purpose is not a step by step process one can learn and apply. It is a journey within the journey. The path is charged with peril, not the least of which comes from within our self. An interruption to the learning process as we move along is the need to control.

Even while earning a certain meritorious level of my own expertise, I was led to realize the need to release; to let up on myself and let go. It is a wonderful thing to observe the flowing expertise of another; and wonderful still when we observe our own flow.

How do we measure impact? The answer begins in your own unique Desire & Intent for those you lead, influence, and serve … those for whom your story has impact.

The impact you most desire unfolds and is accomplished through what you already possess: Your own authenticity in your own Story. Trust yourself.

Trust Yourself (Expertise)

In the agitation of intentional transition
a threat to confidence I consciously allowed.

Soul asks, “Do you know what you can do?”
and reminds me of a casual style avowed.

Interest
21st Century Skill: Personal/Professional Growth Management
Book 1, Chapter One: Impact

Through my work with story, I am committed to the power of the individual. Organizational (collective) impact will never materialize without the commitment of the individual. In the 21st Century there is a level of enlightenment expected. Part of this enlightenment, as explained by the authors of Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, is to understand the individual behaviors required to drive desired outcomes, and focus there.

The 21st Century belongs to the aware, focused, and loving leader. The impact of your leadership is intended for the benefit of all.

Why Story and Storytelling?
Interest creates energy. In this 21st Century, strategic behavior is more important than ever throughout the organization. It is time for individuals to be energized by a common story of interest, and to collectively align energy in a strategic balance in order to tell the story.

The Story Objective
We must create an implementation experience where we leverage individuality and the power of the collective energy in designing our future; a strategic view that brings the future into the present with Clarity, Engagement, and Connection.

The Next 7 Posts are a journey through the power of story. I will travel along the path of the 7 Skills for 21st Century Leadership as I align each with the chapters of my book, Wading the Stream of Awareness - all the while integrating what I’ve learned (and am learning) as a facilitator of Strategic Storytelling.

The Journey
You ( A Source of Impact)
Others and You (Reach)
Others and Your Purpose (Push and Articulation)
A Foundation of Service (A Confident Connector)
Service with Purpose (In Your Presence)
A Purposeful Teacher (Expertise)
A Steady Walk (Free in the Story)

There is indeed a new confidence discovered in the connection that story provides. It is my desire and intent that you find joy in the journey.

Our Christmas 2011 was experienced in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. On the evening prior to returning home (Christmas evening), I went to the desk clerk to get some coffee as the housekeeping staff had been given the day off. Deanna retrieved my packets of coffee and we began to talk. Her son was departing to Afghanistan the very next morning. On the way in from dinner that evening, we stopped by the lobby as I saw a young man talking to Deanna. I was able to shake her son’s hand and wish him the best. It is a powerful thing to know someone’s story.

Love goes beyond expectation. It is accepted that a leader should be clear with his or her expectations. Too often however, many fail to understand what an expectation conveys in true form. Expectation must communicate desire, intent, and confidence.

Love flows from the confident leader who knows purpose. Purpose shines through a personal narrative that is told in each action as a leader; actions which are consistent expressions of one’s personal story. My friend Judie is free to love by choice and she is free to love differently and equally. She delights in your presence. I am certain Judie would have delighted to be in Deanna’s presence and to share personally in the story of her brave son.

There is a new confidence found in the connection that stories provide. As a storyteller you are present with your love and we have love in your presence. Love is the leader’s power to move us through fear and limitation. The why of love is anchored in one’s personal story. We trust the loving storyteller. So live a narrative that brings desire and intent to tangible reality for self and others.

Jim is at a point in his life where, in order to be true to self, he must serve consistently. In order to serve as he most desires, and focus on the best outcomes, he must balance himself across individualized significance. As with Jim, our work of leadership is spiritual when it flows from the soul.

Few have the courage to explore publically a topic such as spiritual leadership. The author of the above excerpt does. Maybe it is in part due to Ric’s search for such in his own work. Part of the true leadership experience is confidently doing your own spiritual work; applying personally a principle of self-care for selfless service. Conscious of your own purpose, you increase your ability to respect the strengths and potential of others. As you have discovered for yourself, purpose frees you to focus with confidence on what is most important.

Confident with self, you facilitate confidence for others as they connect through the work. This is leading from the soul. Individuals do not want to be managed. Individuals desire to be led.

While he may not see himself as such, Ed is a giver. Like any giving leader, Ed’s power is in a selfless approach to do no harm. Don’t misunderstand, Ed takes care of himself in order to better care for those he leads, influences, and serves.

Flow
As leaders, our goodwill toward another flows through the energy of a developed, casual style of being with. And this style is a result of our continual commitment to learn, grow, and develop; making self better to better serve others.

Act to Art
The impact of such a customized integrity is born into conscious presence by the act of giving. To actually give of oneself is no small thing. It takes energy to act, which is why it is so important that your energy is consistently restored. This keeps generosity in flow and moves the act to art.

Fixing a network might simply be in creating a new understanding for:
… Why you make your connections
… What you do in your network
… How you serve your connections.

Why
Your unique purpose as a leader forms a thread of meaning from one connection to another. One by one, connections of meaning form the power of a network. The artful act of connecting forms a creative bounty of connections.

What
It is meant for you to draw from this creativity in the collective. I believe part of what Ric is telling us is that our service finds voice in our network. Confidently exercising your own voice builds trust in your network and frees the flow of your gift.

How
The gift of your art flows freely through a confident voice. Your voice empowers the no so often needed to keep you on the path of service. Your network benefits greatly from your living, flowing purpose. Voice resonates in purpose.

My colleague Keith knows that part of fixing a network is the confidence to say no. And while voice gives power to the often required no, it also speaks a confident ‘yes’ to the service of our gift.

Clarity
Doug understands that there is a new reality in the 21st Century workplace. He further understands the importance of each individual’s embrace of a new understanding; stop and see what is good around you. This pause is necessary to understand why with the clarity required.

Story
The clarity is to fortify one’s accountability that flows through individual voice. As voice guides, you hold tight to the accountability of your story. The why is never found in the slides of a presentation. Why is found at the meeting point of message and individual story.

In the flow of why one can more easily connect with the positive and powerful aspects of accountability; making the story their own.

Accountability
The new reality will be all-consuming without a new understanding. In this new understanding there is freedom to be claimed in the flow of a new confidence. In the 21st Century we no longer wait for those “in charge” to provide the clarity required. Acting in  a new confidence demonstrates the accountability assumed in the flow of why.

The Magic of Alignment
My client Tammy creates the magic of alignment as she keeps others connected to reality. Both personally and professionally she remains present with each connection focused on momentary meaning. How she accomplishes this is best expressed in her words; “I focus on the big things at work and the small things at home.”

As a 21st Century leader, and like Tammy, you are not afraid of desire. You are not timid in how you act with purpose. A leader’s Desire & Intent is an authentic energy capable of strengthening the connection between leader and those being led, influenced, and served.

The Power of Connection
The strategic story is meant to bring us together. This can be difficult without the collectively crafted story energized by your purposeful leadership. Guided by purpose, you nurture your connections because you first trust yourself in these relationships. You then allow trust to create energy for others to confidently join in the story.

The energy for collective alignment is cultivated in the power of connection. You share energy to assist others in seeing the strategic meaning in day-to-day work while giving your attention to individual need in the home of one’s labor; the familiar space of individual effort.

Donald Davis was Kathryn Tucker Windham’s friend the last 30 years of her amazing life. Noting her incredible stamina of life and work, Donald asked how she kept up such energy. Kathryn answered, “Energy comes from interest. I am interested in so many things.”

Interest creates energy: This resonated in me in two major ways. First as it relates to passion. Passion requires energy. As my client Ken says, “Work in the light of passion is renewable energy.” Varied interests are like a wind turbine; creating energetic passion from a limitless source. Secondly, interest assures performance. Living one’s life in a singular flow – where it is difficult to discern when one is working versus playing – is a path of impact.

Kathryn further energized my belief that so much in life is simply a matter of choice. It is important to open to diverse interests, focus the accrued energy through passion, and choose happiness.

… choose happiness!

About your love, my brief response was, “It’s not the words, it’s the action.”

This is the Rob so many know; a man who acts on what he believes and knows in his core. I have the privilege of being your Coach and of knowing you long before the coaching relationship. This is the last of my letters to select clients for 2011; a series corresponding to each of the seven chapters of my book. Chapter seven is Love. While some have praised me for writing about love in leadership, I write this to thank you for living it in how you lead, influence, and serve.

I heard a story about two old farmers, Joe and his neighbor. Both had lost their wives and only had each other to talk to so far out in the countryside. One day a dispute over a calf broke the relationship. They did not speak for months. Old Joe hired a carpenter to build a high fence so he would not have to look across the creek at his neighbor. Old Joe came back from town the day the fence was to be built, cleared the last hill, and saw no fence. Instead, the carpenter had built a bridge. Before old Joe could give the carpenter the what for, the neighbor crossed the bridge, embraced old Joe, and asked for his forgiveness in the argument over the calf, stating that Joe was the bigger man for providing the bridge.

Rob, you are the carpenter. We need men of courage in this 21st Century. You are a man of practical faith; the source of your down-to-earth consistency in all matters.

About Your Love
You care about, and for, people one-by-one. You take time to encourage. When you are in someone’s presence, you are present with them.

About Your Storytelling
You weave a good story. You tell for a purpose. You tell for the love of the hearer.

Thank you again for being a courageous carpenter,
Jeff