This is a continuation of my series on my new book, The Power of Passion in Leadership: Lead with Your Heart, Not Just Your Head.
In this episode I cover:
- A Pain point about being scared to confront problems on your team, including problem team members
- Getting Your Groove Back
- An extensive list of ideas for how to get your groove back
- Some great resources to help you
I have a friend whose name is John. ?We have known each other since high school. ?John?s family has a very successful company in Alabama. ?His grandfather started the company, and then turned it over to John?s dad, who turned it over to him. ?It has just kept growing and prospering through the decades. ?They are very good at what they do. ?When John?s dad turned the reins over to him, he tried to run the company but did not enjoy it at all. ?He was not wired to be a CEO or a COO. ?He loves computers and the nuts and bolts that a company needs behind the scenes. ?He finally sat his father down and said, ?Dad, I love our company and I will always work here, but I cannot run it. ?I can?t and I don’t want to. ?It is not good for the company or for me to even try.? ?So John became the chairman of the board and loves his work for the family business, but the family hired a very competent person to run the place. ?That is healthy convergence. ?John got his groove back after being in a place that held no passion for him.
If you plan to stay put, you have to get your groove back and guard your heart from those nasty piranhas that attack. ?This is a tough one but I have seen it work in some cases. ?These things take real commitment and intentionality. ?Just don’t kid yourself if the second option is actually the right thing to do.
Let?s get back to the circles. ?If the next diagram here describes you, your first option is to get those two circles to move together. ?Passion is lost when the circles continue to move farther apart. You have to increase the overlap and get a bigger zone of passion, so that you become like the second diagram.
So how do you do that? How do you move those circles? It can be done. I have seen people complexly reinvent themselves within their occupation. Here some ways you can get back into a place of passion without moving on.
- Get around people who are passionate. Ask for their advice. Tell them your story and see what you can learn to help you.
- Ask your board or your boss to reconfigure your job responsibilities so you are doing what you love.
- Have a gut check about what you are pursuing and what you really love. You might want to take some assessments like Strengthsfinder 2.0 or the DISC Test to analyze yourself at this stage of your career.
- Get some counseling or therapy. Swallow your pride and admit to yourself and those close to you that you need some professional help with your heart. Many times we cannot fix ourselves.
- Get more in touch with your Emotional Intelligence. Read Immunity to Change: How to Overcome it and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization – Kegan, Robert and Lisa Laskow Lahey.
- Go for advanced training in your field. Get qualified to be promoted or to make a lateral move within your place of employment.
- Go back to school on the side for an advanced degree. Ask your employer to pay for it, which they are often pleased to do.
- Take a sabbatical to rediscover your heart. Perhaps you are just burned out and need a break and a restart. Go away to a retreat center where you can get alone with God and also have some help from a counselor. Here in Colorado we have two great places: Quiet Waters and The Potters Inn. They both love to help pastors and people in ministry who need help.
- Ask God to revive your heart. Spend more time with Him. Read books and listen to talks on reviving your heart for God. Listen to my Leadership Answer Man Podcast #15, ?Reviving the Leader?s Heart.?
- Hire consultants to help you with your leadership problems. If you are plagued on your team with problems that can?t seem to be solved, then get outside help.
- Get a career coach to help you. This is an exploding industry. Be sure to get recommendations from someone that has had a good experience, since not all career coaches are equal.
- Hire consultants to help turn around your organization?s failure. Sometimes the problem is not in the leadership team, but on the extremities of your organization. Get help with the issues that are plaguing you.
- Feed your heart with great books and seminars. One of the best ways to guard your heart is to feed your heart.
- Get back out on the front lines from time to time. How much time are you spending in your office or working solo on your massive leadership headaches? Get some fresh air out there on the front lines and be reminded of what you are trying to accomplish in your job.
- Seek personal renewal in your relationship with God. This might be the place to start.
I have included a worksheet on my website to help you with this exercise. ?Go to Getting Back in the Passion Zone. ?There you will find this checklist where you can not only mark off the ones you want to pursue, but also fill out a worksheet with a plan of action. ?And I have listed some great books and other resources that can help you get your groove back.
I would also like to give you four self-assessment tools to help you improve your self awareness. You have probably used at least one of these tools before, but periodically it is a good idea to “take stock” and see where you are at in terms of personality and leadership. Please check out these Four Self-Assesment Tools.
Resources from the podcast:
