Create Your Terms of Engagement To Align Your Life
I am working with two professional organizations on a similar problem—the leaders do not feel the local chapters represent the image and message of the parent organization.
The problem is that in the last three years, as their members scramble to get business and survive, they lose touch with broader more theoretical missions of their organizations.
What about you?
- Have you upheld the message of your mission (and can you articulate what this message is–if not, read my Huffington Post article on Are You Serving a Calling or Feeding a Craving if you need some help)?
- Are you living the values you teach others every day?
- Do you know what image you display to others and does this image represent your highest values?
The two professional organizations feel compelled to outline terms of public engagement for their chapter leaders to ensure the integrity of their image is preserved. Whether or not it works for leaders to dictate this behavior in others, this is good practice for you on a personal level.
- What do’s and do not’s would you commit to in both your business and personal life?
- How will you hold yourself accountable?
- How will you deal with others who do not respect your boundaries?
In this age of Social Media where we are putting our thoughts out for the entire world to see, it’s even more important we are sure about how we want people to judge us (and they will) and what messages we present with our words as well as our deeds on all the social sites.
Every morning, before writing one word or choosing how to spend your time, ask yourself:
- Who am I being today?
- How will I present myself?
- What will make me most proud even when people disagree with or don’t like me?
Take a moment to share some of your do’s and do not’s here. Share your terms of engagement to help us all refine our lists. Who you are being will affect what you create and attract. Choose to act in integrity with your message instead of reacting to circumstances. This alignment is good for your soul.
Click here for the latest updates on Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction (June release).
Ah Marcia, if only I’d read this post Friday, before a weekend of raging hormones and wrestling with my desire to correct the world’s behavior.
I preach–let it go. What do I practice? Well…when I’m out of balance, I seem to find my center by winning–by making the best point and having the final word. That has nothing to do with my business model or personal mission I want to share with the world.
How will I hold myself accountable? Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I know the two days each month when I’m going to be least likely to respond from a solid foundation. I need to think about them in advance and be proactive–limiting caffeine, exercising, spending a bit more time in solitude–rather than letting them creep up at me and catch me by surprise as my head is spinning around a la Linda Blair! I think my family would appreciate my new level of preparedness and proactive thinking as well : )!
I’m not sure why but lately I have been consumed with compassion and love and how can I in every daily interaction demonstrate these even during some of the most challenging of situations? I suppose the why is not important, but the “now” is, so am I just running with it. Maybe for the first time I am realizing this is a calling for me and find myself reaching out to those that seem to need it the most, even if their values and principles are in direct conflict with mine, asking myself what is the best thing I can do for this person in this moment? Amazingly enough I am finding this to be an enlightening phase of my life, and through this I have let go of stress and negative thoughts….wonder where this will lead me? (I’m going even if there is no destination).
Bonnie, what a lovely state to be in! I wouldn’t spend too much time wondering where it will lead. Enjoy the journey right now. It will turn out to surprise you know matter what! The people you work with are very lucky.
