THINK it, say it, blog it! David Taylor does.
Naked Leader founder David’s Naked Leader Week is a thought-provoking start to a Monday which is read by many. Ever commented on one of his articles? If not, why not? If you have, you are not alone!
A recent one was entitled: What Does it Mean to be a Truly Authentic ‘Naked’ Leader‘? To David it is this: ‘It means making a very fast, simple, and difficult choice – to be the very best that you already are – unlocking the strengths, ideas and passions that you already have – as a leader, as a team and as an organisation.
‘And help others to do the same. It means stripping away the negativity, excuses and fear to realise that your future success comes from within, not without.
‘When you do that, all you have left is you – and that is all you ever need to be. Be successful, by being yourself, or yourselves, as a team or organisation.’
Victor D. Mariquez agreed and commented: ‘Authentic, real, true, naked – use the adjective you like. It is all about being oneself.’
Another NL Week was Mind The Gap.
‘The Gap of Infinite Possibility – where your future, your life, what happens to you next, are totally and absolutely within your own control, and no-one else’s,’ explains David.
‘WOW! Please, just reflect on that for a moment. Thank you. Because that is all you get – a single moment. Yes, The Gap is amazingly empowering and powerful – it is also, rather short.
‘Still, the good news is that, with practice, you can be conscious of it and make it a little bit longer. The Gap – an event happens– it could be anything, somebody cuts you up, gives you negative feedback or a blunt email, even the start of rain. Then there’s a moment – The Gap, and then you react!’
Lewis Hulatt commented: ‘The Gap moment is where we can learn to take control. Turning the other cheek’ is a 2000-year-old example of that in practice which I too recognised in my martial arts (karate) training.
‘If we only react from instinct, we are acting out our programming, but if we can stop, then we are in control.
‘Somebody not instinctively retaliating with violence or anger when wronged has given themselves a choice and confounded their oppressor. I choose whether to strike back and I can decide that what you take from me means so little that I can choose to give up more. To the ignorant, it can look like weakness, but I am in control and that is power.’
Another fascinating topic from David posed the following invitation to complete this sentence…’No Event Has Any Meaning Other Than…’ Of course, the answer is… ‘The Meaning That You Choose To Give It.’
David uses an example: ‘When someone gives me negative feedback is it more helpful to think “you are undermining me and saying I’m no good at this,” and respond with “you’re a complete idiot, and just exactly what makes you think you know better?” And feel annoyed or “this is helpful information that some people might react this way and I can change to accommodate this,” and respond with a “thank you, I’ll bear that in mind” and feel calm and improve yourself.
Michael Sumner offered this thought: ‘I responded to an email immediately once and completely misread what it had actually said in the first place. I gave it a meaning it didn’t deserve when I should have taken a step back, read it properly, and dealt with the situation a whole lot better in consequence.’
Those are three examples of David’s Naked Leader Week so why not get involved?
The more comments the merrier. Remember though, think before you write it – leave a g
ap!