You Can Only Get There From Here - The Art of Intentional Leadership

Here is where your change begins. Where your intention becomes action.

The vision will start to become real only when you choose the right actions in the present moment.

This is an important distinction because it’s easy to become stuck in an endless cycle of talking about or thinking about what you desire without making the necessary changes in your daily life that will bring it to pass.

This is the essence of intention. The inner compass that guides you to act on your highest aims rather than reacting based on emotion or a short term benefit. The key word is “act”.

Learning to keep your true intention at the forefront of your choices requires a deliberate, daily practice.

Back then to where we started. Change must begin where you are. From who you are. Today. You must set your intention to guide your actions.

This same concept applies to organizations. We must be willing to fully understand and accept what is happening in the present before we can create a vision for the changes that are needed. Then we must set our intention and act to close the gap.

Change is not a speech, plan or idea. It begins with a shared intention. The key influencers and leaders in the organization coming together and agreeing to act in alignment with the vision and holding one another accountable.

Acting on our intention requires persistent awareness. The ability to consistently listen to our heart and our mind and then reflect on what action, in this moment, would be appropriate for the outcome we are seeking. This awareness is important at both the individual and organizational level.

One of the key challenges leaders face is connecting the intention of the organization with the intention of the individual so that the two are aligned even when they arise from a different perspective.

If the message is limited to how a change will serve organizational goals without considering the impact on individual needs, desires, and aspirations, there will be a disconnect between the intention of leadership and the people who will ultimately bring the vision to reality.

Again, the point is to understand where we are now at both the individual and organizational level so that we can bring this into the story we are shaping.

Finally, leaders must go first. Setting the example for the rest of the organization by speaking and acting in alignment with our shared intention. This is how we manifest the shared intention and inspire others to act, creating the momentum needed to bring about change.

The hardest part of any change, personal or organizational is, of course, starting. We wonder if we’re ready. If the time is right. If we have what it takes. The answers will always be uncertain. What is certain is that if we don’t act, nothing will change.

Remember, you can only get there from here.