As a Leadership Coach with over 20 years of tactical leadership experience in the military, I have found that purpose is an essential component of effective leadership. It is what drives us to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals, both individually and as a team.
One technique that has worked well for me in discovering my purpose is reflection. By taking the time to reflect on my values and passions, I have been able to identify what truly matters to me and what I want to achieve in both my personal and professional life.
I learned that when I was away from my family on a deployment, every happy moment felt empty. If I wasn’t sharing it with them, it didn’t matter. This helped me prioritize my life to ensure that we do things together now.
Reflection has also helped me to identify my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to focus on areas where I can excel and stop worrying about the parts that I’m not good at. I’m a big believer in leaning into your strengths. Let your weaknesses be an opportunity for you to team up with someone who is stronger than you in that area.
Additionally, reflecting on past successes and failures has provided me with valuable lessons and insights that I can apply to future endeavors. Overall, making reflection a regular practice has been instrumental in helping me to live a purposeful and fulfilling life.
Another technique is setting clear goals. By defining what I want to accomplish, I am able to create a roadmap toward achieving my purpose. This helps me stay focused and motivated, even when faced with challenges and setbacks.
I use affirmations every day to keep my goals at the forefront of my mind. Every day before I go to sleep and when I wake, I take the time to review what is important to me. When your entire mind is focused on achieving your goals, you are guaranteed to achieve them.
Finally, seeking feedback from others has been instrumental in helping me align my actions with my purpose. By engaging with peers, mentors, and team members, I have gained valuable insights into how I can better lead and inspire others toward a common goal.
I also emphasize the importance of giving feedback in a constructive and respectful manner, as it can have a significant impact on the recipient’s motivation and confidence. By incorporating feedback into our leadership approach, we can continue to evolve and become more effective leaders.
This is truly a test of ego. At first, I didn’t like to hear how terrible I was. I wanted to be better, but I wasn’t good enough. It took me some time to let my ego behind so that I could really hear what I needed to know to be better. Best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my team.
In my coaching sessions, I often encourage my clients to explore these techniques and find what works best for them in discovering their purpose as a leader. By doing so, they can become more effective and inspirational leaders, driving their teams toward success.
At the end of the day, it isn’t about them, it is about their team.
