Authenticity 5 | Courage of staying true to your convictions

and courage and Wisdom to Walk Away?

Options beyond fight or flight?

There may be situations where you get a fight or flight feeling. You can always choose from these options, or a combination:

1. You can walk away from the situation
2. You can change the situation
3. You can change or adjust your beliefs about the situation
4. You do nothing about the situation and observe how it evolves, without you taking a stand one way or another.

Which of these 4 options is the best for the situation you are dealing right now and still stay true to your convictions?

Each situation is unique and in each you can and will learn so many things, when you evaluate the experience. To understand that these options apply to every situation already gives an advantage before visualizing the issue at hand for grassroots problem defining and solution finding methodologies.

How do I uphold my Beliefs in Testing Times

You can strategize by using several tools such as a TOWS analysis, and still not find the answer.

As Empowerment Architects, we often face the dilemma of how to remain true to our core beliefs, especially in challenging situations involving formal leaders, mentors, or key clients. The complexity of these interactions raises a critical question:

How do you stay grounded in your values while effectively managing professional relationships?

Exploring Options in Difficult Situations

1. Walking Away

Does walking away from a situation sound like the choice of a coward? I personally thought so and many times I questioned if walking away was the right choice. For me, and my upbringing that Everything is Possible, this is the least favorite of my choices, and it took me almost all my life to understand the power of walking away. Not only for you and the others involved on all sides of the spectrum, also for the situation itself.

This might be a preferred choice when

• the situation is against your core values
• there's no room for positive influence
• you doubt that changing the situation will improve long term and create sustainable results
• you know deep inside that your presence is not helping the situation. I have found myself in times when I knew I had the right answers and over time it was also proven that my analysis was for the better of the organization or the people, but at the moment mine mere presence would not be benificial or of added value. Remember: being right is not synonymous of doing right.

If your assessment is factually that your influence is at a minimum and there is absolutely no chance to change the situation walk away.

2. Changing the Situation

Changing the situation involves taking proactive steps to alter the dynamics, such as initiating a constructive dialogue or proposing alternative solutions often within complex situations. This is also the choice where you will have the most

failures | lessons | Growth | Development | Experience.

The hardest challenge in this whole process is deciding which option is the wisest. Once you decide to change the situation, have the resilience to continue until the situation changes.

1. Design a plan for how the change will occur, build a team of change agents when necessary.
2. Upgrade your skills, learn new tools, invest time, energy and resources to commit to this change.

3. Adjusting Your Own Perspective

Reevaluating your beliefs about the situation can provide new insights, leading to drastically different insights and paradigm shifts, with sometimes a more harmonious outcome. Adjusting the perspective is also important in all the other options.

1. Have an open heart and an open mind. Find tranquility
2. Be aware or work to becoming more aware of your biases
3. Start as a blank page.
4. Ask questions in order to understand other perspectives
5. take time to let this new information adjust in your being

4. Observation and Patience

In some cases, stepping back and observing the evolution of the situation can offer more clarity on the right course of action. This is not necessarily "a waste of time". It can also mean that you give the natural flow the chance to improve the situation.

Again, deciding is the hardest part. Remember it also takes courage to not act in certain situations, observe and interact only when necessary.

Selecting the Best Option

The choice among these options depends on the specific circumstances you're facing. Each situation is unique and offers its own learning opportunities.

Applying the Decision Matrix

Another tool to navigate these choices, is to utilize a decision matrix. This helps evaluate each option based on factors like potential impact, alignment with personal values, and the likelihood of a positive outcome.

To create a decision matrix facing tough decisions in leadership, we can structure it around the four options mentioned, evaluating them against various factors:

How to Use the Matrix:

1. Alignment with Values: Assess how well each option aligns with your core values and beliefs.

2. Potential Impact: Consider the potential positive or negative outcomes of each decision.

3. Feasibility: Evaluate how practical and achievable each option is in your current situation.

4. Risk Level: Determine the level of risk associated with each option.

5. Personal Growth Potential: Consider how much each option can contribute to your personal and professional development.

This matrix serves as a guide to help Empowerment Architects weigh different factors and make informed decisions in challenging situations.

Reflection and Growth

In conclusion, navigating difficult situations is an integral part of the journey for Empowerment Architects. It's a process that tests our beliefs and resilience but ultimately contributes to our growth as leaders and individuals. The decision we make in these moments defines not just the outcome of the situation but also shapes our character and professional ethos.