Develop Your Whole Self.

Is your leadership flat? Are you feeling tired? Burned out? Do you simply need a recharge? Try this.

I recently had a good friend take a long-needed sabbatical. We met for lunch and he asked me what I would do if I had some time off. I told him I’d block an afternoon, probably get out in nature, and work through one of my favorite activities.
 
It’s called the Wheel of Life.
 
The concept is simple: complete the wheel per the instructions, step back, and look at your wheel. Much like a car tire, if any area is flatter than the others, the wheelwon’t spin.
 
See, most leaders become ineffective because an area of their “whole self” is neglected, underdeveloped, or weakened by circumstance. They try to leave behind the broken area or bury it when they show up to work. The reality is, you can’t be congruent and authentic by neglecting a major aspect of your identity.
 
The way back to authenticity – and higher satisfaction – is to give more attention and energy to deficient areas of the Wheel. Or, at the very least, to acknowledge weak areas and accept them for what they are for the time being.
 
As Dave Ramsey says, “People who are broken or hurting can’t work hard.” We’ve got to pay attention to the whole person, and that starts with the leader.
 
Try it yourself. Click here to access the Wheel.
 
This is the perfect time of year for some introspection. Take advantage of it and get clear about where you are so that you can set some goals for the new year to get you where you’d like to be.