I attended a speech by Marilyn Carlson Nelson today. She talked about “How We Lead Matters” She said “You can’t compartmentalize your leadership into choices you make in your personal life and your choices in your professional life. It undermines your credibility. You need to be consistently to be who you are. A leader is a leader.”
I love her definition of leadership – taking complete responsibility and changing it for better. She said opportunities to lead and to make a different represent themselves all the time. When they do, we act on them. That spoke to my mind. My mission as a leadership coach is to inspire people to act on the opportunities to lead and to make a difference.
By the end of the speech, she asked us to do an exercise – at the end of every day, ask ourselves “Is today a day I would sign my name as an artist proudly sign to her painting?” I can relate to the significance of the exercise. With the death of my brother 30 yr ago, I don’t count my days as if they are endless.
I was deeply touched by her leadership. I felt energized the whole day by her speech.