Counterbalance

If it isn’t obvious by now, I love the Dare to Lead podcast from Dr. Brené Brown. This week she spoke with Dr. Pippa Grange, a British applied psychologist and author with substantial experience in sports psychology. In their conversation, certain words paired up in my mind.  Regulation vs Relationship, Compliance vs Connection, and Fear vs Faith.

Whether we are at school, work, or in any group setting, all these things are a part of the equation for effective and meaningful dynamics. However, if we build a culture entirely on regulation, our daily interactions will be stiff, sterile, and confining. If the focus is solely on compliance, the spirit of the organization will suffer, wither, and falter. If we let real fear remain unaddressed, people will lose hope, drive, and joy. To counterbalance this, we must partner each of these with the things that give the processes and procedures life and energy.

With regulation, we must keep in mind that the humans involved are far more important than the handbooks and documents that serve to guide an organization. When we lead through a people-centered approach, our way of doing business is inspired and infused by the relationships we nurture and sustain.

With compliance, we must create an environment of connection with the “spirit of the law” as well as “the letter of the law.” When we focus on the heart of why we do what we do, we can embrace requirements with a positive motivation instead of dread and resignation. As a friend of mine used to say, “If you want to, you don’t have to.” We must develop a “want to”, or even better, a “get to” atmosphere.

With fear, we must acknowledge that our apprehensions and uncertainties are real. However, we must find the courage to meet our fears head on with intentionality and hope. When we have faith in ourselves, others, and things bigger than ourselves, we open our eyes to possibilities and opportunities that are hidden by the shadows of our fears.

Essentially, if we focus on relationships, connection, and faith, we enliven the structures and frameworks that we create to manage life. It is necessary to have rules, guidelines, and laws to help guide or govern our interactions with one another, but we must never lose sight that the end goal is to live life abundantly and purposefully together. This is done best through a life of love and service. No one has ever said on their death bed that they wish they had been more compliant. Let’s live today accordingly.