In life there always seems to be miscommunication. misunderstandings, misconduct, but if you talk to anyone at any given time all they say is that they want better communication, more understanding and to be treated well.
Why is it that we cannot get what we want?
Why are our lives are forever presenting us with just what we want to avoid?
Why are there such gaps from what we desire most?
Get what you want by building bridges but it takes effort… and effort takes perseverance and perseverance takes patience.
Building bridges is about taking reflective action.– taking action is not always about reacting and trying to fix- but to stop and absorb, to listen. The the ability to maintain the necessary patience and insight to identify exactly what needs to be the focus is a skill. Employing that discipline will allow your heart to communicate the action that will create better results through understanding.
Building bridges takes courageous engagement.– it is asking the kind of questions that most people are afraid to face. Courageous questions open the possibility of your truths… your courageous answers. Once those truths are revealed, action becomes a clearer path of choice.
Building bridges takes appreciative exploration- the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity. To take time to study, comprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. When we seek fundamentally to build a constructive union between a whole person, that which is and was about them, we build bridges to a deeper understanding of humanity.
Building bridges takes grounded vision. When you know what you stand for you, who you are, you know how to communicate, be understood and know how to act on a daily basis. A Grounded vision renews enthusiasm, commitment, and ownership of yourself and those around you.
Building bridges takes concerted confidence. You won’t get to the top without self-confidence; to build it, you have to own who you are and you have to be competent to do. Sometimes its acknowledging areas you need to grow or need help to accomplish your dreams. Don’t worry about being perfect —imperfection is not the name of the game. Its about doing and being the best you can be. It takes courage and confidence to get what you want.
Building bridges takes interdependence. Knowing that others matter for your success. Creative collaboration across boundaries and the inclusion of diverse perspectives and values allows outcomes to be more emergent organically and less limiting.
Building bridges is about freedom – it is about freeing yourself through accepting your own gifts and to free others by embracing theirs. It is about breaking away from old barriers, learning new skills, and freeing people to work with more passion, energy and productivity it helps create an environment that promotes individuals to have the freedom to take the right actions in the process of securing the desired results.
Building bridges takes love. We all are seeking to find meaning in our lives. Touches of human kindness and love can be life changers. Love helps when you deepen the relationship you have with yourself and others around you. because it empowers, and has you performing on higher levels than anyone thought possible.
To build a bridge with love means learning to love the loss and failure and the vulnerability it allows you to be real and share your story. LOVE connects you deeper with others as you accept yourself. Loving yourself means becoming loyal to your own hearts needs while respecting others hearts as well.
Building bridges allows change to happen. It is a willful choice to create the support structures to reach out to other people as individuals, as humans, as people who like us, have hearts who must learn to love as well.
We must Build bridges to take us to the places we desire to go.
We must understand our stories, our own truths that make and made us who we are in the first place.
Lead From Within: There is no one else. We must be who we are meant to be. We must lead our lives by example. Start building bridges.
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Sharon Reed
31. May, 2011
Great post, Lolly, one that resonates loudly with me. You also make an important point: Before we can build bridges of understanding between others; before we can build bridges to take us to the places we desire to go, we must first understand ourselves – our stories and our own truths – and have the courage to live our convictions.
Wonderful!
-Sharon
Guy Farmer
31. May, 2011
Thank you for this post Lolly. I really like the idea of people reflecting on who they are, celebrating interdependence and functioning from a place of love. Leaders can truly use these vital skills to move beyond the bottom line to inspiring their employees. It also feels good to connect with others on a deeper level.
Simon Harvey
02. Jun, 2011
Love the bridges, never burn them either, you never know when you will need them again.
Sometimes it is worth looking for a bridge that is already there and perhaps you have not seen. Sometimes it is worth rebuilding an old bridge that has good foundations, and sometimes there are better places to build bridges than the obvious places. One that was built by someone else may be better to cross than your own.
Building bridges takes confidence, patience, knowledge and understanding, knowing that with help (especially on the other side) the bridge will be built faster and easier.
Everyone has the ability to build those bridges, it is just sometimes the ravine looks very deep and scary. Great leaders understand that bridges over big gaps need planning, they use all their resources to make it happen, and when they show others how safe it is to cross ,it gives those others the confidence to cross themselves and start to think they can build bridges as well.
Lolly you are a bridge for so many people. You stretch and support many of us, you bridge that gap between not knowing whether to go for it and digging deep within ourselves to venture forward and build our own bridges over our own ravines, to take that step on the other side and leadfromwithin.
Thanks for all you do.