“Life is hard, the sooner we accept this fact the easier it becomes. But life is also remarkable, if only we choose courage over comfort.” - Chris Province, P&PG Principal for Intentionality and Brand Alignment

Yes, life can be difficult, and being a leader can make it even more so, as others look to us to guide them through their difficulties. But successfully leading others through the challenges of life can make our own lives even more rewarding as we help those around us achieve success. In Magic in the Room Podcast Episode 71: The Six Discoveries of High Performance, Chris recently shared his reflections from decades of leadership experience. Throughout his growth journey as a leader, Chris has overcome numerous challenges, facing each one head-on as an opportunity to learn, grow, and emerge better than he began. Chris has distilled his insights into six distinct discoveries that we can apply in our daily business and personal lives as leaders. Through application of these discoveries, we can act with intentionality, focus our efforts, and harness the talents of ourselves and our teams to succeed no matter the odds.

Discovery #1: Ignitor Mindset. Ignitor Mindset, the combination of Growth & Outward Mindsets, is the recognition that success is an approach, not a result. Through Growth Mindset, we consistently strive to be our best selves every day, while realizing that tomorrow’s version of our best selves will be even better than today’s. Through Outward Mindset, we embrace an obligation to facilitate that same mindset in those around us and to assist and encourage them to be their best selves. By making deliberate decisions each day framed by these mindsets, we can make even far-reaching goals attainable. This creates a virtuous cycle. As we grow our skills, we become more valuable to our teams, and as we help our team members grow their own skills, they in turn become more valuable to us - the benefits are mutually supporting. Success begets greater success, teams become stronger, and the cycle continues. But without continuous intentional effort, all systems tend toward entropy and atrophy. Complacency is never an option. 

Discovery #2: Role Clarity. Role clarity is the clear understanding and codification of the responsibilities and authorities - for ourselves and everyone we work with. High performance businesses have high role clarity, which enables both empowerment and accountability. With high role clarity, everyone’s actions become more predictable. We know what is expected of us, and we know what we can expect from others. Role clarity allows us to set standards, to ensure those standards align with our values, and to measure performance against those standards. It makes it easier to recognize when we are meeting or exceeding standards, and likewise to recognize when we are falling short in order to take appropriate corrective actions. Outside of the context of work, role clarity helps us define success in other parts of our lives, such as our roles as family members, community members, and citizens. 

Discovery #3: Purpose Clarity. If we aim at nothing, we are sure to hit it. Purpose is a singular point of focus toward which all of our efforts can be directed. Purpose moves us toward achievement, not acceptance. It is the greatest good we can possibly achieve. When we are clear about our purpose, it is easier for ourselves and others to understand why we take the actions that we do, and the people we engage can choose whether or not to align with us. It takes work to discover your purpose, and even more work to actually live by it. The good news is that your purpose is already in your story, it just needs to be excavated, cultivated and actioned. If you would like help discovering your purpose, check out our online “Ignite Your Purpose” course at https://purposeandperformancegroup.teachable.com/p/ignite-your-purpose11/. 

Discovery #4: Daily Commitments. Daily commitments are the day-to-day actions required to live our values and advance our purpose. While they are actions that can be taken each day, they are not short-term or today-only concerns. Rooted in our profound beliefs, daily commitments close the gap between what we believe and what we hope to achieve. They help us make intentional decisions and take deliberate action to show up each day in a way that aligns with our values and advances our purpose. Individual behaviors that advance our higher level purpose, little by little, will accumulate to make a substantial impact on the world around us.

Discovery #5: Execution. Execution is the ultimate test of our ability to advance our purpose. It is results-oriented, focused on the doing as well as on the learning that happens in the process. Execution is the real-world laboratory in which we can test not only whether we are “doing things right,” but whether we are “doing the right things.”  Are we expending the appropriate amount of resources toward the right priorities?  Are we achieving the results we expect?  If so, then how can we do it more efficiently?  If not, then what can we change to get there?  At the end of the day, execution provides us with evidence of whether our actions are aligned with our values, roles, and purpose, and hones our behaviors to achieve the best possible results.

Discovery #6: Resilience. Resilience is the capacity to recover from adversity, to spring back into shape - to adapt to and even welcome challenges or changes for the possibilities they offer. Resilience enables us to view minor setbacks against the larger context, to sustain the vision of what can be, and maintain hope when the going gets tough. If we do the other five discoveries right, this is the outcome. For leaders, meaningful recognition is a great way to increase the resilience of those around us. Recognition confirms the value of our efforts and reinforces our sense of self-worth as others take pride in our achievements. When we are recognized, it affirms that our mindset is effective, that our commitments are aligned to our purpose, and that we are valued by others. For more on the power of meaningful recognition, check out Magic in the Room Podcast Episode 48, “Meaningful Recognition,” with special guest Ashley Hurney of MTM Recognition.

For a more detailed discussion of Chris’ Six Discoveries of High Performance, and some fantastic stories of the experiences that led Chris to them, we encourage you to listen to Magic in the Room Podcast Episode 71: The Six Discoveries of High Performance. As you reflect on your own experiences, we look forward to hearing about your observations of these discoveries in your own life.