Message of the Day - Walking Your Talk

Good Morning,

 

My current read is Lance Secretan's "One: The art and practice of conscious leadership" (http://www.amazon.com/One-Art-Practice-Conscious-Leadership/dp/097331155X). This book was recommended to me by one of my friends, John Mark, who was so passionate about this book, I had to get it.

 

The book focuses on showing how we are all interconnected with each other, and that true leader is conscious of this connection and works through this connection to effect positive change in our world. Dr. Secretan also includes his leadership model which uses the acronym C.A.S.T.L.E. This acronym is comprised of:

 

Courage

Authenticity

Service to Others

Truthfulness

Love

Effectiveness

 

It really struck a cord when going through the section on Authenticity. So often we see people who act one way in one arena and act another way in a different arena. This difference is actually a lack of authenticity. The boss who is over the top and driven in the office to get his people to get the job done, who then goes home and is a humble mild mannered person is actually living a double life.

 

Who we are in the workplace should be who we are everywhere else in our lives. The person we are in Wal-Mart should be the same person we are when are at the ballgame or driving down the highway.

 

When we show different faces in different situations, we are showing people that in some of those faces we are not always being authentic.

 

A few years ago I did a values exercise where I looked at what I valued in the office. I then did the same exercise with my values at home. When I compared the two I noticed that they were a bit different, but not by much. By comparing the two and working through differences, I found that I could create a list of values which was the same for my work life and my personal life.

 

These values are authentic for me, in all situations. And for those keeping score, those values are: Accountability, Adaptability, Caring for Others, Learning & Empowerment.

 

This, though was not always the case in my life. I have come a long way (and I still have a long way to go). I used to be a different person for different groups and situations. It took a lot of work and a lot of soul searching to find my way to where I am now. Part of that discovery was doing an introspective look into myself to see where I was not being authentic.

 

It is not easy, but it is worth it, to be the best we can be.

 

And in this way, we can walk our talk.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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