The 5 Steps to Design and Lead the Life You Want
As I kicked-off the work to establish Ellumine, I spent the better part of 5 months researching & reading about Women. The outcome was a Women’s Life Leadership Model, which I intended to be the base for my offer.
As I shared my excitement with a friend, I felt some level of (well-intended) skepticism. Isn’t Leadership focused on other people vs. one’s self, and what would be specific to Women anyway? I could feel my excitement dwindling. Do I need to go back to the drawing board?
Further research helped me take my thinking to the next level.
Why Life Leadership:
While numerous Leadership definitions exist, what many of them have in common is the existence of a Vision or Objective, and the need to inspire or motivate people to pursue.
Setting an inspiring Vision for your life is at the heart of Ellumine’s Life Leadership, and Engaging others to help you get there, one of the key components. The difference is that the Vision pertains to one’s own life, vs. a professional endeavor, and the bulk of the work to get there is done by the person, vs. by co-workers. And while the end outcome of strong classical Leadership is more successful businesses and careers, the outcome of Life Leadership is happier individuals, more fulfilled lives, and a better impact. The latter, I would argue, enhances a leader’s ability to inspire & motivate others.
My excitement was bubbling back up.
What is Ellumine’s Life Leadership Model:
Key components of the model are:
. Direction: As a little Moroccan girl, Mona knew that she did not want to embrace the traditional model. Instead she wanted to pursue her dream of having a successful international career. She got a scholarship in a prestigious school, studied abroad, joined a multinational, climbed the ladder up to Vice-President level, and is still enjoying the ride and aiming for new heights, while honoring her key Values of Achievement, Independence, and Growth. Many of us unfortunately lose touch with our Dreams and Values. Direction is about Setting an Inspirational Vision and/or Objectives for our life, based on deep a dive into our Core Essence: from Values, to Purpose, to Dreams, to Strengths, so that we step-up our sense of Purpose, Fulfillment, and Impact.
- Mindset: Anna, a Gynecologist & Surgeon noted that while 50% of gynecologists in her area were Women, less that 10% were also surgeons, as this branch came with risks that a number of her female colleagues shy away from. This phenomenon is widespread, as Women tend to be more reluctant to take risks, which inhibits their growth.
In Mindset, we explore and practice key Mindset components so that we are best equipped to pursue our Inspirational Direction successfully: from Confidence, to Risk Taking, to adopting a Growth Mindset.
- Skills: As a Marketing Director, Sylvie, now a President in a multinational, realized that her Male counter-part had explicitly and repeatedly expressed to his boss his desire to be promoted, while she never had, assuming instead that it was obvious. When she ended-up disclosing her ambition, she added an emotional touch: the wish to celebrate her promotion at her 40th birthday. She obtained it 2 days ahead of this date.
In Skills, we explore and practice key Skills to help us successfully pursue our Inspirational Direction: from Asking for What you Want, to Being Center-Stage, to adapting Communication styles to the needs of our audience.
- Connections: Emma is an ambitious Group Manager, and a new mother. She recently was unaware, and therefore missed applying to a job that she would have liked to have. Many of her colleagues were aware, due to their network connections, but she just has not time for these activities.
In Connections, we explore and practice how to leverage relationships, at all levels, to help us pursue our Inspirational Direction successfully: from Family & Friends, to Networks, Mentors, Sponsors, Role Models, & Experts.
- Journey: Ellen became Vice President in a major Corporation at the age of 38. With 2 geographical moves and a continuous need to travel and leave behind her 4 years old, the prevalent feelings in her life are those of guilt and utter lack of energy, with very little room to enjoy her success, or the journey she is on.
In Journey, we explore and practice what is required to make the path in pursuit of our Inspirational Direction joyful: from Resilience, to Energy Management, to Being in the Moments, to Amplifying Success.
What is specific to Women in this Model:
The framework applies to Men and Women alike. What makes it more relevant to Women is the choice of illustrative stories, as well as that of some of the themes (eg. Asking for what you want, Center stage…) which, if relevant to some extent to Men, are even more relevant to Women.
Wrap up:
Do you feel passionate about what you are looking to achieve in your life? Are you purposefully developing the skills and connections that you need? Do you deeply believe in your ability to succeed? Are you utterly enjoying the journey? If in doubt on any of this, then you likely have an opportunity to enhance your life leadership. There is no greater gift you can offer yourself, to enhance your fulfillment & release your full power for yourself, and what matters to you most.
“True leadership stems from an individuality that is honestly expressed” –
Sheryl Sandberg
Please share your comments. And if you would like help or support to progress on you Life Leadership, please contact Roula on info@ellumine.ch
