Leaders lead best when they understand “calling” and “vision,” and when they find ways to align the two for themselves and for those who work for them. Leaders need to:
- Discover their “Calling” – know themselves, who they are, what most interests them and what they are best at. Sometimes we refer to this as their “calling” – where their greatest joy or desire meets a great need in the world or in their company or organization.
- Align their “Calling” with the Company Vision – Imagine how much more energy leaders would find for their work if they could discover ways for their personal “calling” to align with the company’s vision and values!
- “Call” their Reports – know what most interests those who work for them, where their greatest gifts and passions lie, OR
- Support their Reports’ Discovery of “Call” – invest time in helping their reports to discover their “sweet spot” or “calling.”
- Align their Reports’ “Calling” with the Company Vision – The same is true for employees as for leaders – that is, imagine the increased motivation for working for the company and reaching company goals if the employee’s sense of personal “Call” aligns with the company’s vision and their work responsibilities.
- Reflect Frequently – People are less stressed and more motivated when they are living their lives intentionally. But intentionality requires stepping back periodically and reflecting on vision, calling, and how best to align the two in one’s day-to-day workplace activities.
- Ensure Time for Small Group Reflection – Relaxed and intentional time also needs to be set aside for group reflection on vision, personal calling, and aligning the two for each person in the workgroup.
“Callings” or “sweet spots” engage the whole person: spirit, soul, intellect, emotion, and relationships. Creativity experts assure us that engaging the whole person is necessary for innovation, and that companies cannot survive in today’s business environment without making creativity part of the DNA of their organization (Tom Peters). Wouldn’t you like to work in an organization that called out and enabled your greatest and most heartfelt gifts? How about you take the first step in ensuring that those who work for you get that opportunity as well!
