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Circles of Change: Conversations with Dr. Zara Larsen
on Change Leadership and Career Fulfillment
February 17, 2008
“Become the CEO of You, Inc.”
Guest: Susan B. Butler, SBB Institute
Anchoring Points:
- We all wear multiple CEO hats – your professional focus, your role in family, in the home, your community service, AND the CEO of Y-O-U
- Your own personal development and path
- CEOs are responsible for making things happen (you for you)
- Your Special Journey: Define Your Dreams and Make them Happen
Step One: Define your aspiration – begin with the end in mind, as pictured by you, not overrun by the expectations of others … you cannot outsource the responsibility for your dreams to anyone else! Write an email dated December 31, 2008, listing your goals for the year and how you accomplished them.
Step Two: Assemble your team – you can’t do this effectively alone, cultivate those who give advice, counsel, encouragement, and open doors for you. By sharing your desires with others – going public – they become real.
Step Three: Create your plan – a roadmap to get from who and where you are today, to who and where you want to be tomorrow. Consider task level, celebrate steps along the way.
Step Four: Navigate your journey – monitor your progress EVERY SINGLE DAY, making adjustments for bumps, detours, roadblocks.
Additional Thoughts from Dr. Zara Larsen:
- Establishing a personal brand is as much about guiding and galvanizing your own aspirations (aka self awareness and management) as it is to be able to communicate what you offer to others.
- Yes, you can have it all, but maybe not everything at the same time. Some people underestimated their ability to lead an integrated life, in the process of struggling with the concept of a balanced life.
- Make sure your team of advisors includes people who really will tell you like it is, and not sugar coat feedback. Every team is served well by someone who asks sometimes the simplest questions or makes the comments from left field to bring everyone to a screeching halt and challenge conventional wisdom.
- At the end of the day, don’t let anyone anywhere anyhow tell you “you can’t do that” if in your heart it is your mission.
- A roadblock is just a sign post to go in a different direction. In time, the road might get fixed, so come back again
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