Swift Current: What Is Your Why?

90 seconds of elegantly simple leadership wisdom.?

• What is your BIG WHY?
• What motivates you to keep going?
• Why are you in your career and investing the time and energy you do?

More than 10 years ago, I (Chuck) moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, because of a BIG WHY…

1. I had become convinced that leadership and organizational culture matter A LOT. I had a graduate degree in the field and was getting real-world experience in a global organization, but I wanted to speed up my learning (and reduce my suffering!) by learning from a company that was becoming nationally recognized for its work in transforming its culture and developing leaders.? I had a sense of how to develop individuals but not how to transform an entire organization's culture, and I wanted to learn.?
2. During interviews for a potential job at one company, I was told, “The two most important moments of people’s lives happen inside of these walls: the birth of children and the death of loved ones. If you want to impact both, come join our team.” (Gulp. I was sold.)

Two weeks later, I joined Cone Health to focus on physician leadership development. In doing so, I joined?the story?of how they went from the bottom 10% in Provider Engagement to becoming the top 10% in the country and how patients and our community benefited!

If you ask me today why I do what I do,?I will probably tell you…

BELIEF #1: Work (and life) shouldn’t suck.

BELIEF #2: It’s usually a leadership problem when it does. In fact,?research?now reveals that “Managers impact our mental health MORE THAN doctors or therapists and EQUAL to your spouse or partner!”

BELIEF #3: Leadership is hard, but a few simple habits make the difference. Everything we do at Epic Rivers Leadership is about teaching and coaching leaders on these!

Ripple Effect

• But what about you? Why do you do what you do? What beliefs form your career choice(s) and how you invest your time on this earth?

One of our?6 Strategic Anchors?at Epic Rivers is to be a “Force Multiplier for Good.” We intentionally focus on organizations and leaders who are committed to positively impacting society, including healthcare, higher education, non-profits, and?conscious businesses?of all shapes and sizes. If this describes your organization, we want to be your strategic partner and a force multiplier?to help you discover, clarify, and execute life and work in alignment with your why!?

My personal story above is just one reason why a large percentage of our Epic Rivers Leadership clients are in healthcare, and we have hand-selected?our team of coaches?with depth and experience in this industry, among others.

But sometimes, all you need is a great book to steer you in the right direction. If you are wrestling with your BIG WHY, check out these two.? One of my all-time favorites on this topic is “Let Your Life Speak” by Parker Palmer. It is a short little book that is dog-eared, highlighted, and worth revisiting every few years.

Another I’ll mention is a book by my friend and colleague Sharon Hull entitled “Professional Careers by Design: A Handbook for the Bespoke Life.”

Until next time BE LIFE-GIVING!

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