I'm writing a series of articles on tools that have been tested by me as a leader, change-maker, mother and entrepreneur. I promise it's a quick, simple, effective, and even inspires beautiful transformations, if you commit to practising them daily or as often as possible.
💡THE (REAL) PROBLEM WITH THE LACK OF CLARITY
Driving change with impact is a complex challenge, especially for Léo, who is responsible for rolling out a tool to assess his company's carbon footprint.
He has to juggle several tasks:
Thinking about the technical and logistical aspects of the tool.
Familiarising himself with similar standards and tools.
Organising third-party certification.
Anticipating internal resistance, such as power games and cultural issues.
Refine its role and influence with stakeholders.
Under pressure, Léo is feeling alone and overwhelmed. Priorities are piling up, leaving room for confusion and hampering his communication.
🔍 THE TOOL: WRITING
WRITING IS THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU KNOW." - FLANNERY O'CONNOR
For Léo, rather than going round and round in his head, writing is his best ally.
By putting his thoughts down on paper or screen, he can see through his thoughts and clarify his tasks. This trivial act brings him immense relief. In just a few moments, he can step back, discern what's essential and regain inner calm. Writing is also a way for him to bring his head, heart and body together, to give free rein to his emotions.
By writing down the priorities, decisions and questions discussed at meetings, he also establishes a pact with those he is dealing with.
If you want to be as clear as Leo, you can adopt writing as a daily ritual. Put your thoughts down in the morning, record the decisions taken in the meeting and take stock in the evening. It's a way of life that keeps you clear every day.
🐝 YOUR CHALLENGE TO PRESERVE YOUR ENERGY
Hopefully, if you're still reading this post (thanks, by the way), you're thinking something like, "OK, but what do I actually do?"
I suggest two things:
Every day, ideally in the morning, answer the following questions:
How do I feel?
What thoughts are with me this morning?
What are my top 3 priorities (both professional and personal) for the day so that I can have the impact I want?
Before an important meeting, clarify your strategy with the following questions:
Why is this meeting important for me/my mission?
What do I want to achieve when I leave?
What message do I want to get across?
MY EXPERIENCE
Writing was my lifeline.
In my role as Director of Sustainable Development and Corporate Purpose, the avalanche of thoughts could be suffocating. To make sure I didn't lose anything along the way, I took notes and wrote things down. It was my way of staying on course and keeping projects moving forward.
Even today, it's my daily ritual to refocus my energies, clarify my ideas and calm my mind and heart.
You don't have to be a writer. Just let yourself be carried away by the power of writing.
“Writing is an act of creation, of letting your soul speak.”
“So ... ready to start writing? ”
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Hi Changemakers!
I am Nina, an impact maker coach, specializing in leadership and sustainable transformation. I have spent the past 12+ years leading sustainable change in a Fortune 500 organization in a multicultural environment. What I like to do through my activities is to inspire organizations professionals to rethink the business and make them proud to contribute, in their own way, to a more sustainable, human, and nature-friendly world. If you wish to be an inspiring and impactful leader engaging your team and organisation to create a better world, contact me!