Yesterday I was reflecting on the loss of a friend whose life was tragically cut short. For me, this contemplation stirred up the duality and power of such an event—and how that power can be utilized in your leadership process.

As we ponder this loss, we can easily get lost in the hollow ring of her soft voice and memory of her sweet smile. But the power in this picture is the role model she played for all whose lives she touched. When we step back and look at the big picture of her life we can see the lessons she taught us—the search for deeper meaning in all events, finding the gifts each person presents to us, and the courage to live a life of giving.

Similarly, when we focus on a single challenging event we can easily become mired in negative energy. If we stop to place the event into the bigger picture it almost always brings reflection and an uplifting sense of purpose. Think Steve Jobs and his idea of putting a “dent in the universe.” In doing so you automatically play to the intrinsic motivation of your team members.

So put the duality to use. Keep a focus on overcoming the individual, challenging event, but also put it into the context of your overall project and how it will move your project forward.

Concepts:
• Use the big picture to play to the intrinsic motivation of your team members
• Maintain a focus for each individual team member their part of the project and how it fits into the big picture

Questions:
• Have you laid out the big picture, the vision of the project for your team?
• Have you discussed with each team member the importance of their individual contribution?

Keywords: leadership, motivation, vision