Heads Up People. Get back to the joy of leading
Yesterday China celebrated the Spring Dragon Festival, which falls each year on the second day of the second lunar month, as recorded by the proverb: “On the second day of the second month in Chinese lunar calendar, the dragon is awakened, raising his head”: 二月二, 龙抬头.
“On the second day of the second month in Chinese lunar calendar, the dragon is awakened, raising his head”:
二月二, 龙抬头.
On this day, the dragon “raises its head” (or awaken) to the sound of rumbling thunder, a sign of the coming rains that will revitalise the earth, nurturing an abundant harvest for the year. (Auspiciously, we had afternoon showers in Singapore!)
It may also be a reminder for us to raise our heads.
Do you feel the joyless slog sinking in?
The Big Bang ambition and motivation you felt at the beginning of the year may be starting to dissipate. You may find yourself stuck in the joyless slog of corporate bureaucracy. Or feeling frustrated and disappointed by the lack of success and progress so far.
Hard work is necessary in order to achieve your goals, but you may be losing focus by being caught up in the mundane day to day. Your head may be down, nose to the grindstone, focused on creating perfection or efficiency.
Focus is good, you get a lot of work done in a very short period of time. But when you focus on every tiny detail, you lose sight of the bigger picture and why you’re doing the task in the first place. When you do the same task over and over again without much thought, the work becomes robotic. Similarly, having your head down may get in the way of your ability to sense the changing situation around you.
What can you do in order to think and act more strategically for the future?
We suggest raising the dragon’s head towards the sound of rumbling success. Take time to step back and assess whether you are indeed focused on the right things or if you need to shift your focus to align with the broader goals. Or ask for help. Or offer help. Or reconnect with that desire you had when you first started — sometimes it’s the finer details that hook the heart. Or look out for unexpected opportunities — because the world has changed without your permission.
We suggest raising the dragon’s head towards the sound of rumbling success.
Golden beans
Awaken your consciousness. And have some *popcorn. Or as they say it for Spring Dragon Festival: Bloom the *golden beans!
*Popcorn kernels were thought to represent golden beans. A bit like Jack’s magical beans but different.
Get back to the joy of leading
3 Tips for Dancing on the Edge of Greatness (YOU GOT THIS)
- Go after what you want, what really matters to you
- Trust you can handle the stress that comes with it
- Don’t go it alone, leading change is a team sport
Use the Power Book to tell your story. The Power Book articulates the thing you believe you are uniquely positioned to do. The thing that you fundamentally believe you are the best person in the world to do, given your story.
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PERSONNA is a leadership development company focused on the people side of transformation. We hold a simple belief that everyone is an extraordinary and powerful force for positive change. When you make work personal, naturally you become a better leader.
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