One of my favorite things about The Leadership Circle is that it fundamentally supports the idea that we recreate ourselves. The Reactive half of the circle offers us a frame for the things that have happened to us historically and a rooting in the way that has impacted us as humans over the course of our lives since that part of our story integrated itself. And becoming more Creative gives us a supported opportunity to choose which parts of the Reactive story we keep and which we dismiss because they no longer serve us. 

In this frame we are allowed to redesign the life we are leading with non-judgement, with increased awareness, and with a fresh opportunity for change while honoring where we have been and the lessons that journey taught us. 

Right under the surface of any issues related to work (performance, presence, motivation, engagement, safety) are the tendrils of our reactive story and their reach and grasp on our lives. Starting in the 1990’s, leading psychologists started to recognized that when people make new meaning with their lives and seek to understand and to help others, they are often experiencing different variations on resilience and PTG or Post-Traumatic Growth. Resilience is more in the realm of the ability of a person to bounce back after crisis, and PTG happens when the event is so massive that the person’s core values system and beliefs are rocked to the core and “reset” based on the clarity that comes from their return to daily life. 

The Leadership Circle Profile provides us an opportunity to open this door with our clients, helping them to understand that some of the personal history that they take for granted may have played an instrumental part in where they have been and what they have done.  And we go a step further by asking them to take a peek into the future and to set a vision for what comes next. The fundamental ability to look forward and back and to integrate both perspectives into the experience of today is a form of reflection that most professionals (most humans) don’t get a guided experience with. I feel that this is the stretch that offers a new opportunity for a dialogue between colleagues, for candor, and for increased emotional safety for people at work. 

We can only really pursue our vision for the future and the objective of recreating ourselves when we have clarity about where we have been and what we have learned. The concepts of vulnerability and authenticity are only as good as the deep grasp that an individual has with these and the connection they develop to making a difference because of them. When a coach and a client can make meaning together, they form a plan for the future without fear.  

About the Author

Courtney Feider is an executive coach/behavioral strategist who helps leaders connect with creative heart. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a regular contributor to Forbes and Thrive Global. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a regular contributor to Forbes and Thrive Global. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, All Business, and on numerous blogs and podcasts. www.courtneyfeider.com.