A New Year & New Leadership Intentions

Here we are, a week into a new year and a new decade. Many people begin January with a fresh, exciting list of resolutions. They resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, be nice to their parents, spend more time with the kids, walk the dog, ignore the cat. Resolutions never worked all that well for me, and I suspect you may feel the same way. I always created a list that was so overwhelming by the end of the month I had put it away and forgotten about it.

I find it more helpful to set intentions, but only after looking back on the previous year and listing all that I am grateful came to pass. Then I have a clearer picture of what I want to allow into my experience as the year unfolds. Intentions are more of an inside out process. Your intentions flow from your beliefs about yourself and manifest as actions and words. Resolutions feel like something your mean Aunt Gurdie wants you to do, like "eat all the peas on your plate before you can have chocolate cake."

What are some of my leadership intentions for 2010?

* I intend to see the good in every person and every experience, no matter how challenging or how long it takes
* I intend to let myself be surprised by how great life is
* I intend to seek out new learning experiences that will enhance my leadership skills
* I intend to honor the way others lead, especially if it isn't the way I would do it
* I intend to allow others their opportunities to lead, and to support them in their efforts
* I intend to look for leaders to mentor me and the opportunity to mentor other leaders
* I intend to weigh carefully my words knowing that words have great power to hurt or heal

Those are just a few of the things that come to mind. Oh, and I intend that I will have a very good year and hope the same for you!