To Flourish
A CEO I’m coaching recently asked me about the sign-off I use in my newsletter: May you flourish.
“What do you mean by flourish?” he asked.
The question caught me off guard as I often use the word, but I’ve never been asked to explain it.
I believe to flourish means finding purpose and fulfilment in our relationships and in what we achieve with and through others. As leaders, our primary responsibility is to create the conditions for all to flourish more.
In response, I offered that to flourish means to align 3 uniquely human attributes:
Intention is what we seek to make possible. Before we speak or act, our intentions will answer the question; what am I trying to achieve, and for whom? Our intentions matter, because they determine how others experience our actions.
Attention is where we direct our energy. What we consistently notice, ask about and make time for tells others what matters to us. What we intend, we attend to. We know what we’re committed to by the results we get. If we intend to build trust, we attend to creating a safer space for others to speak more of their truth.
Agency is our capacity to act. Flourishing asks us to make choices and take steps that improve something for ourselves and others, even when circumstances are difficult.
To flourish is not about seeking a constant state of happiness. It is a state we can bring about through what we intend, where we place our attention and how we act.
INVITATION
Before your next crucial conversation, pause and ask:
What is my intention?
Where does my attention need to go?
What action can I take that will make a positive difference?