Opportunities Galore
Leaders see opportunities easily. So easily in fact, that they often do not see problems. They are able to switch thinking so quickly when faced with what one person may see as a problem to see it as an opportunity for growth, learning, or change. A question to ask yourself when problems crop up in your life is. "What is the opportunity in this?"
As we begin to see more opportunities our thinking itself shifts as does our conversation. We find ourselves speaking differently and notice that we start then to even see other's problems as opportunities. Before you can even comprehend this you begin to seek out "problems" that others are having to help them see the opportunities that abound.
When a leader is able to encourage and influence those around him to see opportunities, to embrace them, to get excited about the possibilites there is hope. Hope that as we all see opportunity in things around us that we are focusing on context, on environment, on relationship which is the white space surrounding the situation. This ensures that we see the broader whole of a system. Leaders who can see systems enable systemic change which transforms and improves our world.
"What eyes do you choose to see with?"
Transition
During times of unrest, change, confusion, disruption, unease or the unknown we often say we are 'in transition." It gives us comfort to say this as we help ourselves understand that what we feel and experience is not a permanent state. The space that is freed up is a gift. Be it space to think, space to breathe, space to be different, space to question or simply space to be quiet.
I am in transition. I relish every moment of this. It allows for reflection. It allows for reconnection with the many people I am often too busy to communicate with. It allows for redefining what is important. It allows me to write, to create, to reinvent, and to experiment.
Why we lose or do not recognize these abilities or opportunities when we are not in transition is something to ponder. What is it about routine that makes us so focused we feel like we are a horse wearing blinders? What is it that we are doing in our small world that keeps us from branching out in many directions and exploring possibilities? When we experience change why do we often hear the term ' I feel like a whole new world has opened up for me?' Is it because we are open, because we have heightened our senses, because we have reconnected and look for synchronicity and intuition to help us find our new path?
My transition time now provides an incredible warmth. I feel connected to humanity in a new way. I look forward in some ways to "landing" somewhere to refocus my energy and in other ways would love to stay in transition awhile. Perhaps I will try to carry my transitional spirit with me, it may make me a better leader.
If you really think about it we are constantly in a state of transition every day. It is only an illusion that we are permanently in one place or space.