Did you believe you’d be where you are now 7 years ago?
This month marks seven years of Cornelia Lucey consulting which evolved - through our research and practice - into CLPL several years ago when the research and book was being conceptualised. It has taken all of my Positive Leadership resources to get this organisation - of which I am so proud - to be where it is today. However, if you had asked me what my self efficacy was like 7 years ago, it was a feint marker in the sand compared to the solid castle with deep foundations that it now is.
And it’s taken a lot of work.
This work has included elements of all six resources of Positive Leadership:
Constantly looking for the opportunity to make a difference (Abundance)
Being emotionally agile - flexible about - all of the very many knock backs along the way, and learning from all the many many mistakes (Limberness)
Recognising the need to always think it will work, and finding the pathway to ensure it does (Inspiration)
Being aligned to our values - curiosity, creativity, compassion, courage, and connection - in all that we do, and breaking down the steps to lead to the destination (Grand Design)
Being aware of what I need to promote, orientate and integrate my health into how I structure my workload and that of team members/ associates/ clients, and colleagues (Health)
Developing connection and high quality connection with fellow business owners, clients, new business contacts, associates, and maintaining relationships with my longer term clients, as well as leaning into positive conflict when a project, coaching session, programme or relationship could benefit from it (Tribe).
It’s fascinating to recognise in the research, and in practice, that the six core resources and their 18 components completely interconnect. Whilst one resource might seem distinct, if we don’t take it into consideration it may affect other parts of our resources of leadership behaviour and performance.
Take limberness and being adaptable, for example. If you are not taking care of your mental energy and mental health, being adaptable is a hard place to reach. One leader I worked with recently has identified that if he is not getting family time, nor exercising, he is half the thinker and manager he needs to be. So these are non-negotiables for him that he is working hard to protect.
Equally self efficacy - believing in oneself - (and part of the positive leadership resources of inspiration) is underpinned by a number of factors as a psychological construct (such as time mastering something or seeing another master it) but also inextricably linked and interconnected to the Positive Leadership resources of having a strengths mindset (abundance), and optimism and hope (Inspiration). If you don’t notice your and others’ strengths regularly, or feel like things will work out for the best, this can reduce your confidence and self efficacy.
Again and again in the leaders I work with, these are key components that we must regularly assess, monitor, and develop so none go off the boil.
Do you need to do a Positive Leadership audit for yourself, your team or your organisation on any of the 18 components that create Positive Leadership? What’s missing from your performance or aims to bring the best out of yourselves or others? We’d love to support you through this process.