Even though I write a weekly article for the LPJ, write articles and posts on LinkedIn weekly, and have written a book (People are the Plan – A Leadership Approach to Winning with People), I don’t consider myself a writer. When I write, I pretend that I am speaking to a group and just start writing those thoughts. I then go back and edit the writing to add punctation and correct as many grammatical errors as I can find. While it’s not a typical writer’s approach, it does give me an avenue to communicate with others that I am not able to speak directly to on a subject.
If I had the opportunity to speak to an organization, a team, or a group of individuals, I would share the following message by asking three questions.
Question 1: Why are you here? This question deals with purpose. You can focus primarily on your occupation, stage in life, or life in general. That’s totally your call, but the question is one that we all need to ask for in each major area of our life. Purpose provides meaning, direction, and a foundation for our lives and the various components of life. Purpose answers the “why” to anything we are involved with in our lives. I talk to organizations all the time, and they all know what they do. Very few know why they do it. The same applies to individuals. Too many of us have not taken the time to thoughtfully consider purpose for key areas of our lives.
Question 2: Who are you? This question deals with identity. Identity is the summation of our values, beliefs, and convictions and is evidenced by the lifestyle we lead and habits we form. Identity is what we are known for, what others see in us, and what distinguishes us from others. Individuals need an identity, but so do organizations and teams. A healthy view of our identity provides a basis for self-esteem, confidence, and direction to live out our purpose. For organizations and teams, identity provides a common set of attributes that allow members to unite and pursue purpose together.
Question 3: What are you going to do? With purpose and identity in mind, what actions do you need to take to move toward fulfilling that purpose and becoming that identity? What relationships do you need to invest in? What habits do you need to establish? Similarly, what do you need to stop, eliminate, or walk away from to move in the direction needed? Those are tough questions, but ones we all need to evaluate from time to time. Our habits and lifestyle are evidence of our actual identity. If there is a gap between who we are and who we want to be, this question provides the basis for a plan to move toward who we want to be.
For me, a key purpose in my life is to add value to others so that they can experience an abundant life. I seek the identity of a servant leader and invest in habits and a lifestyle that supports that identity and fulfills that purpose. That focus makes every day matter. Consider those three questions along with the concepts of purpose, identity, and habits. Every day should matter!
