Everyone has an impact on their ecosystem – good, bad, or in-between. Intentional or not, you are a catalyst; you power an idea.
According to the Merriam – Webster dictionary, a catalyst is “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.”
In my view, everyone is a catalyst. Furthermore, there are conscious catalysts and unconscious ones. Your presence changes something in the environment. It’s time to wake up to your effect as an change agent.
Conscious catalysts are intentional leaders. Leaders like Barack Obama, Sir Richard Branson, Nelson Mandela, etc., purposed to change the world. Consequently, they moved consciously.
Intentionality takes the catalyst’s function to a higher level. As an intentional leader, you move with a focus that is not haphazard. That said, you can change the world on purpose. But, are you willing?
If you are willing, where do you start? First, decide on the nature of the impact that you want to make. Do you want to make a positive or negative impact? Do you want to leave the world, your organization, and your community better or worse than you found it? You have to make a quality decision to be a positive catalyst if that’s your goal. It’s a decision that must be done with clear thought.
Now that you’ve decided to make a positive impact, what effect do you want to have? What outcomes do you want to see? Positive impact is a broad concept. It’s time to narrow it down. You need to think about the details of what you want to do. Also, how do you plan to be effective?
For instance, as an executive coach, I have decided to make a positive impact. But how? I help leaders achieve their next level of personal and professional growth. When it’s time for a leader to fly higher, it’s my job to help them transition properly. I'm trained to do it; it’s my calling. So yes, you want to be a positive catalyst, but you have to figure out how.
It is vital to consciously craft the effect you want to have on people, your community, and the world. Begin to envision the impact that you wish to make. A strategic approach to impact-making increases your effectiveness over time. Eventually, you become a trusted brand that causes positive change and influences others to become change agents. Now, that’s a catalyst on another level.
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