Re-tune into Your Magnetic Compass

This year has thrown many of us off our axes. The seas have been rough, and 2020 has been difficult to navigate.  

Leaders are voicing that they are struggling to truly live the values they hold, with the pressures and challenges they are facing. 

They are also realising that they don't have a clear North Star, a sense of the meaningful contribution they can make in their context, with the strengths they have. 

It can also be really difficult to focus when you see what is needed - supporting team members who are scared stiff, serving community members who have fallen through the cracks, responding to climate change challenges, survival. 

I encourage you to retune into your inner compass and make space to explore shifts you would like to make professionally and personally right now.

Like a physical compass that uses magnetism, an invisible force, to detect the Earth's magnetic field, your compass, formed from heartfelt and strategic directions, magnetises your direction. 

"When it is dark or foggy, ships need to know they are sailing in the right direction. A ship’s navigator uses a compass to check that they are still on course. Explorers also use a compass to help them find their way and avoid getting lost." (BBC)

Your intentions and purpose, your values and principles, have emotional, spiritual, and cognitive affects. They inspire your imagination, and guide your actions and behaviours. 

How can you guide yourself in uncertain times?

On Tuesday, Margaret (Meg) Wheatley, organisational and leadership specialist, launched our Masterclass Series, with the powerful question and answer: "Who do we choose to become? Sane leaders for an insane time". Sane right?!

She shared this re-orienting guidance around the idea of purpose with our group of 25 inspired leaders, that I want to share with you:

  • pay attention to what is needed in a situation

  • ask, "Am I the right person to respond? how? why?"

  • ask "How can I be of service to those needs?"

  • and this is where you will find meaningful work

Getting clear on the direction that guides you through uncertain terrain will: 

  • increase your confidence to make the next right and needed step

  • improve the speed and wisdom of your decision making

  • reduce overwhelm and decision fatigue

  • inspire creative pathways forward that are in integrity with you

  • guide those around you through your example

The leaders who attended the session found this particularly useful given there is SO MUCH to do. Narrowing your focus and direction, tuning into your values personally and collectively, can be both a relief and energising.  

Our next session in this six part series is: Clarify and retune your guiding compass

If you would like to make space and reconnect with your guiding compass, I warmly invite you to take part in the Masterclass I am delivering next Tuesday, 17 November, 9:30-12:00 AEDT.  

I am joined by deeply experienced leader David Sexton, Chair of PayPal Giving Fund Australia and Chair of Kindship. In this session, and with the resources we provide, you will: 

  • Clarify and retune your guiding compass

  • Learn how to apply your compass in different contexts and to your own challenges

  • Gain tools to define and activate a guiding compass in your teams or projects

  • Consider approaches to strengthening your own qualities of character

  • Gain tools to strengthen your capacity to make ethical decisions

For $95 (includes GST), make space in your diary and recalibrate at the close of 2020. Access the replay, resources, and post-session guides to support your practice as a purpose-driven leader. There are 8 places left. 

Navigate uncertain and turbulent times with a clearer sense of who you are, what you stand for, and what is needed right now. 

This is one of six sessions in our Noble Leadership Masterclass series running weekly on Tuesday mornings from 10 November to 15 December 2020.

What have others said about our Masterclasses

“It is exactly what you hope a Masterclass would be – deep, rich, insightful and connected. My favourite content was learning about core, aspirational vs permission-to-play values – it felt like a lightbulb went off...It felt like such a gift to spend the day with Dimity deep diving on values...” (Carmen Hawker)

This article was originally published by Shift Practitioner, Dr Dimity Podger. Dimity is a Leadership Development & Culture Transformation Facilitator. She’s passionate about working with clients who are committed to their own personal journey of character development, and influencing principle-led system change for the regeneration of society and the environment.

Dr Dimity Podger