Page 89 - Appreciative Leadership

62 Appreciative Leadership

three additional staff, managed the production of the annual fundraising

event, and established positive relationships with staff around the world.
In this case the manager took a risk to put someone with no content
knowledge but superb managerial skills into a position that paid off for

everyone. Her ability to see and appreciate potential set off an upward
spiral of achievement and satisfaction for both the young woman and
the organization.

Positive Self-Talk: The Vocabulary for Illumination

Positive power starts with the way we talk to ourselves—that is, what we

say and feel about ourselves and the world around us. The more positive
our self-talk, the easier it is for us to see others’ strengths and successes.
The practice of illumination begins by recognizing our own strengths,

joys, and successes and talking about them to ourselves and others.

This may sound a bit wacky, but admit it: you talk to yourself. Most
people admit to self-talk while bathing or showering, while driving or
riding on buses, planes, and trains, or while being in nature, walking
in the woods or sitting by water. Psychologist William James posited
that every one of us has a running stream of consciousness—an inner
dialogue of thoughts and feelings about our self, our relationships, our
life, and our work. Self-talk is natural. But how strengths oriented is
your self-talk? How success oriented is your self-talk? How healthy is
your self-talk?
Your inner confidence manifests in how you carry yourself in the

world, and your inner vocabulary is the same language you access
when talking to others. Your self-talk not only influences your own

health, well-being, and performance; it is also the lens through which
you see and talk to others. Remember the childhood taunt “It takes
one to know one”? Well, it is true. As Figure 4-1 shows, what you see
and say about yourself becomes the limit of what you can see and say
about others, which is an important contributor to your capacity to

influence others’ performance.
Leaders are always on stage being watched and listened to as role
models, guides, and facilitators of other people’s performance. When