Three Steps to Reaching Your Highest Potential

Christine LaPerriere, Executive Director and Head Coach of the Advancement Centre shares how-to Bring Insights Into Action here in 3 steps.

1) Grow your influence
2) Focus on your authentic self
3) Inspire greatness in others

In this clip, Claudia Hepburn, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Next 36, has some excellent ideas to share.  In order to bring these insights into action, try applying these tips below for immediate results.  If you like these ideas, maybe it’s time to reach for your highest potential by joining us for an upcoming course in the Women’s Advancement Center.

1) Grow your influence: Claudia makes the comment that “a key part of influence is enabling others to feel good about themselves.”  Next time you are working with your team members, notice where your attention is during your discussions and meetings.  Often times, we are so focused on the project, timeline, deliverables and results that we don’t step back to think about how the team members currently feel about themselves or their contribution.  Some of the best leaders know what excites a team member and they remember to endorse that team member for their brilliance when they see it.  In your next meeting, pick a team member that seems a bit tired or stressed and comment on something excellent you notice in their current contribution.  Watch to see if over time they better leverage that strengths and begin to feel more relaxed and energized in their work.

2) Focus on your authentic self: One suggestion Claudia has for us is to “try to focus in on your authentic self”.  We know this is important but sometimes implementing this is very challenging.  In your next problem solving meeting, notice if you have useful thoughts and suggestions that you filter out for fear that you might sound silly or might be judged.  Share with the team that your intention is to help solve the problem and then share that new idea out loud.  As you hear the responses of others, allow yourself to be unattached to whether they agree or not with your idea; simply listen to them with close attention and curiosity.  As you are more authentic in how you share and how you listen, you’ll inspired those around you to do the same and ultimately everyone will benefit.

3) Inspire greatness in others: In this video, Claudia has a great quote: “If you treat a man the way he is, he will remain that way.  If you treat him the way he could be, he will become that person.”  This is a powerful idea.  Notice next time you are working with an employee in which you believe doesn’t have the skills to accomplish an important task.  Notice that sometimes as you worry about her capability, she seems worried about her ability to do this task correctly too.  Picture what you would say and do differently if you thought she could complete the task perfectly.  How would your interaction with her unfold differently?  By simply treating her with the trust that she has the skills and intelligence to accomplish the task, could she rise to the occasion?  Great leaders know when to test theory and over time they cultivate powerful people around them.