Leaders are given sensible advice. So sensible that the leader cannot think of it on her own. And if that be the case, perhaps, ‘sensible’ is not what leaders need. Just, maybe!
What then? Out of inspiration or desperation, how can a leader break the monotony and gift herself something useful?
How about an absurd idea, LeaderPlay as I call it.
Start where you are as a leader, as a human being, really.
LeaderPlay says, “Turn your doubts into certainties and your certainties into doubts.”
We all have both – doubts and certainties. Leaders have them too – with higher stakes, that’s all.
As a Leader, you doubt if you are a tolerable speaker. You have your doubts. You see, that is your problem. You are not 100% sure. And all along, you have been hiding and running away, not wanting to know. And you will do that till your dying day.
Grab the next chance to speak. Be certain that you are awful in the eyes of the whole world. Congratulations! You have turned doubt into certainty.
As a Leader, you are certain of what? Leaders are certain about their being smart and competent. They are certain about their future!
Whatever you are certain about, can you now turn it into a doubt? Please..
You can easily do that.
I am certain that your self-worth is so strong you can enter this dark territory and question what you are so sure about. I know you are so amazing that even if you lose that one article of certainty, you have kept an overflowing treasure-chest of positive certainties hidden somewhere. That is the privilege of leaders!
Do you doubt me? Or are you certain? Either way, you can LeaderPlay.
A leader is a painter of possibilities. Both, doubts and certainties are constraints when the leader surveys the canvas on which she is invited to draw and paint. Doubts decide how extensive is the horizon the painters paintbrush will sweep across. The larger the doubt, the smaller the horizon. Certainties decide where the paintbrush will linger in great detail and make something stand out into sharp relief.
The Leader is always drawing the river of life. Doubts and certainties make the flowing river stand still. Let the river of life flow through you!