Leadership Blog
Your Career Change
Insider Secrets



         "inspiring unity and the very best personal efforts for the benefit of the enterprise"



None of Us Arrived with an Owners Manual: A Fresh Perspective on the Drive to Lead (part 2)

  Definition of Leadership Sponsored Links

Why didn't I get an Owner's Manual

After a little while with life happening and no sign of the Manual we began to realize we would need to make the best of it. We began to look around to see who had one and studied what they knew, surely some of it must be generic! We began to study our parents, our siblings - if they looked competent enough, and our other care givers.

They all seemed like gods to our small experience of life, so confident, so able, so talented. Surely they must have a great version of their Owner's Manual! Many of us translated this into a presumption that they had a Manual and it was a wonderful copy, full of talents and abilities. We had our confidence high that we could do it! We could find mastery.

After a while of looking it seemed like everyone big had one. Another doubt crept in, maybe we were the only one who didn't get one. We got secretive about it. Hiding the humiliation, coldness, rejection, betrayal and abandonment deep inside ourselves.

Many of us did such a good job we threw away the key and forgot we ever had such deep and painful doubts about our ability to make it here. Instead we got involved in studying others, working at it and seeking to create a new version of our own. Some of us got so good at this game we forgot why we were doing it; there just remained some deep unrest about who we really are.

Some of us progressed from here and made different conclusions based on our perception of those around us. Some of us looked at our siblings and thought they were a bit spare, maybe they didn't get one either. Maybe it was just our family, all our generation, kids in our neighborhood and so on.

Some of us looked at our parents and thought they got a warped one, however our faith in them and their ability to support us was so great that we willing joined into their pain and shame. We were so driven to work out how to operate here, it was such a primary drive we would do anything to learn.

Crisis is a blessing in disguise.

The strange thing is this was not a real representation of reality. Our hearts are wonderful places of honor, strength and courage. Anyone in an extreme crisis has not needed to doubt the courage of our true nature. Our heroic acts are legendary. The terrorist attacks of recent times bring this home to us. In Bali, ordinary injured Australians did extraordinary things and saved lives. In New York, September 11 brought out an extraordinary unity in this big, fast, hard city. The tradition is older, our heros of the wars; our pioneers of territory, mind, spirit and heart; our popular leaders' values and so the list is infinite.

The question is never what is the value of the human heart, rather it is - is our heart open? Can we access our greatness or have we become immune, scared or so small we no longer want to go there for fear it won't be OK anymore.

Put aside the falseness of your egoic nature, the part you alone created, apart from your heart. Take up instead your essential nature, who you truly are, and heal the rift in your drive to lead as a beacon, an example, a shining light and a wonder!

This article may be reproduced in printed or web format, provided the resource box below is included.

Rosemary Johnston is a professional corporate and personal coach. Working with executives from some of Australia's largest and most successful companies for over 15 years.

Rosemary's new book, "How To Develop Your Leadership Style and Skills to Take Charge of Your Career and Life" is now available to download at her web site. Read about some of the success Rosemary has had coaching leaders in Australian blue chip companies. http://www.leadershipfirst.com.au


MORE RESOURCES:

Canada.com

Leadership finally takes the fight to John McSame
guardian.co.uk, UK - 11 hours ago
James Carville, the man who ran Bill Clinton's legendary 1992 presidential campaign, caused a stir in Denver after the first night of the Democratic ...
Video: Dems Choose Obama in Thunderous Acclamation AssociatedPress
Hillary Clinton to give Democratic radio address CNN Political Ticker
The view from a mile high: Our Democratic National Convention blog Capitol Weekly
Irish Times - AFP
all 8,906 news articles


• Hornets trio lends leadership, chemistry
MLive.com, MI - 1 hour ago
BY JON SCHULTZ KALAMAZOO -- A lot goes unspoken between the returning starters on Kalamazoo College's women's soccer team. Not because they're ignoring each ...


WirelessHD's Industry Leadership and Award-Winning Solutions Fuel ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
WirelessHD continues to build its industry leadership and momentum by inviting interested companies to join WirelessHD as Adopters. ...


Times Online

Obama ready to lead America, restore US leadership in world ...
Khabrein.info, India - 3 hours ago
Citing statistics on the poor state of the US economy, Clinton said the American Dream "is under siege at home, and America's leadership in the world has ...
Masking pain and regret, Clinton surrenders his crown Globe and Mail
Bill Clinton says Obama is ready to lead America Reuters
Obama wins backing of Bill Clinton The Press Association
Blogger News Network - ABC Online
all 609 news articles


Chamber selects Leadership Edmond class
Edmond Sun, OK - 6 hours ago
Class XXIV of Leadership Edmond has been selected by the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce. Leadership Edmond is a nine-session program, sponsored and ...
Youth Leadership Edmond Applications Are Now Avaliable In High ... OKC Business
all 3 news articles


Zimmerman gives Crusaders veteran leadership
Grand Island Independent, NE - 8 hours ago
Even though Zimmerman is the vet among the starters, he doesn't feel any need to force himself into a sole leadership role. "We have a lot of good seniors," ...


Smoking in Public: Lack of Leadership
State Journal, WV - 59 minutes ago
Smoking certainly is not the most important topic on the Legislature's list of Things to Do, but it is an important test for a state that has enormous ...


Banse, a junior, tries to fill team's hole in leadership
Texas A&M The Battalion, TX - 3 hours ago
With Jen Moore and Kelly Stanton graduating, however, there was a void in leadership that had to be filled by the younger players on the team. ...


Falcons look to O-line for leadership
Wilmington News Journal, OH, OH - 2 hours ago
By SARAH CLARK The Clinton-Massie High School football team is coming off a 49-0 win over Blanchester and headed to Frank Irelan Field to open home play ...


Class on leadership in business offered
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - 11 minutes ago
SAN MARCOS: A series of presentations about how leadership works in the business world kicks off next week at Cal State San Marcos with John Hawkins, ...

Leadership - Google News

home | site map | links | about | contact

© 2006, 2007 Career Consulting Limited