WHAT GOT YOU HERE, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

What happens next? Successful leaders often come to a cross-road in their accomplishments. That road can be both sweet, with the acknowledgement of all that has gone right in their initiatives, and bitter thinking about what comes next.  

The focus, planning, collaborating that it took to get here, where you are right now, may be and probably is completely different than what you need to get to what happens next.

You may have been doing your “good” work, are you doing your “heart” work? Are you standing in your calling or your purpose in a way that can take you and your whole organization forward. If not, it may be time to readjust. This means, looking at the next level outcome and building capacity in your team so that they grow in ownership and confidence.

Standing at that cross-road, which way will you go? What will lead you forward to take one direction or another. You may have to choose between the familiar and the uncharted. The uncharted may be calling you.

You may be standing in a kairos moment, meaning a time when the conditions are right, aligned, seemingly perfect for growth and change. The challenge is that a kairos moment can make you hesitate, over-think, second guess yourself or what you are capable of. However, a kairos moment that is embraced can change the trajectory of your work, life, business and team.

I was working with a leader who told me when he was out of town, his team back at the office often felt uninspired and less motivated. They were dedicated to the work and the company, they just got a charge of energy when he was present. He was the spark that lit everyone up, he told me he need needed to hurry and get back when he was away.

I asked him, who else might be the “spark” when he was gone, since he was increasingly needed outside of the office. He said he never thought about it, but then got a kind of a smirky smile on his face. It turns out, he had another “spark” on his team, but never thought about empowering her to step in when he was gone. Before his next trip, he met with her and asked if she would be open to giving the positive encouragement and be the “spark” for the team while he was away? She immediately said yes, and effortlessly thought of ways to inspire fun and connection. When he got back from the trip, he asked his team how things went. They told him that it felt like he was there! They proudly shared his his other team member stepped in each day to kick the day off just like he did when he was there.

He never thought that the positivity that he brought could be brought by another as enthusiastic and positive about the company and the work as he was! He has having a kairos moment.

A simple definition for kairos is: a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action.

This leader was at a cross-road wondering how he could step into the “next” without abandoning the “now”. The answer? To chart a new path forward, one that would deliver next level results.

The leader confidently turned over the job of being the morning spark to his team mate leading everyone to step into a new “next”. He was present, but he was not the only one carrying the positive morning spark that the team relied on.

What he did previously was fine, but he needed to expand to prepare the company for what was coming next.

This small change, had a big result and invited the company to wonder about what else might be possible for them on the road the their uncharted “next”?