It’s Your Turn to Change the World

This past week I had the privilege of spending time with a group of very evolved leaders and creative innovators. The conversation was robust and exciting but, without fail, in every conversation there seemed to be a running theme.

Each and every person I met said the same thing to me. “Lolly, I want to change the world.” And every time I heard the familiar phrase, it conjured up deeper questions for me.

So what does it really mean to change the world?
How do those leaders and innovators plan on creating the change?
What actions are they taking?
How do they plan on implementing change?

For me, creating change starts with noticing something needs to be changed. It then requires taking initiative and doing something about it. It means taking a single step forward.

But how do you start?

You start by asking courageous questions. Courageous questions can help you  figure out if what you are creating matters –
Your courageous questions might include:

1. Why am I doing this work?
2. Who is this work for?
3. Who benefits from the work you are doing?
4. What is your motivation behind your work?
5. What problem is your work solving in the world?
6. What is your role in creating change?
6. Is the work you are doing useful, or are you just doing something?
7. Are you adding value?
8. Is what you are working on really going to change anything?
9. Is the work you are doing really worth your time and effort?

Keep asking yourself these questions repeatedly. Keep checking in, and don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the questions.

As one who leads from within and teaches leaders to lead, I see a new kind of leadership emerging:
A leader is anyone who is willing to serve.
A leader is willing to help, inspire, encourage and empower others.

No matter what titles we hold, or what economic or social conditions exist,
we are all leaders. Each one of us can have influence.
When you are a human being who cares, you are a leader who is willing to step forward and help.

Lead From Within. Ask yourself courageous questions and move forward for what you care about and for what matters to you. Little by little, step by step, action by action. You will take steps until you have done what you came here to do.


Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world. Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world.

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.

  1. Joan Koerber-Walker

    03. Mar, 2011

    Great post Lolly. These questions are so important. We all might want to change the world, but until we understand the why, its really hard to determine the how and to start the process. Thanks for inspiring us to think about it.

    All the best,

    Joan

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  2. Kristen

    04. Mar, 2011

    Dear Lolly,
    I hope to continue on Twitter and Blog to send the message of losing self importance. I am always looking within for the the “humble pie of reason” as the first steps.

    My long term strategy (3-5 years ) is to raise money and creating a fund for women, children and animals of this planet. I will let you know when I get really close!

    Thank you for these questions . Please keep the positive energy coming our way in the twitter universe.

    Respectfully,
    Get Over It/Get Over Yourself Please
    Kristen Shaw

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