Do you realize how powerful you are? How powerful just the idea of you is?
I know for me, I go through life sometimes without being aware of the impact of my presence. Unaware of the gift that just being me is to other people.
And then, in 24 hours…
A colleague asked for support with a proposal. This guy has an amazing idea…and the chutzpah to back it up. And he’s inviting me to be a part of it! Plus, there was a dinner invitation for next week to discuss it, so there’s food involved. That’s a win-win-win!
Driving home that evening, I was talking to a client. He approached Straightforward Consulting over a concern that his in-house information systems and technologies staff didn’t have the time to focus on strategic planning. In the car, I talked about where we are in the assessment process – which is NOT complete by any stretch – and he paused, took a breath, and said, “Man, thank you so much. That’s the first time in months I’ve heard anyone talk about a real plan, and that gives me hope and confidence.”
Hope and confidence. Two very precious substances. And they came out of a conversation. A conversation in which I was just “me.”
At dinner that night, my wife shared with me a story A young man we met a few months ago was working on a literature assignment. His fictional story was about a character that had it all together. When his mom asked him the character’s name, he thought a bit, and said my name.
Did you get that? His experience of “Tracy” is that I’m a good father, husband and friend…and it’s made a noticeable impact in his life. All I’ve done – in the few hours we’ve spent around each other over the past five months – was just show up and be me.
This morning, I passed a colleague in the hall. We’ve talked before off and on about his concern for his son’s choices in life, and so I asked him, “How’s your son?” Thirty minutes later, we’d laughed together…and got a little weepy eyed together. And as we closed the conversation, he said, “Man, thank you. I really needed this. It helps just talking about it. And you always seem to know the right time.”
I feel like all I did was take advantage of an opportunity to ask a question…and just be with him while he responded.
And to top off the 24 hours…
At the close of a coaching call, my client said to me, “Oh, hey, give me some more homework. I love the homework!”
As a consultant, coach and trusted advisor, experiencing my clients feeling enriched by our work together – and asking for more – is fuel for my soul. And I just show up. I get to listen to my client and to myself. And I get to craft exercises around what flows through me in those conversations. And they like it!
We are each powerful.
You are powerful. And when you truly show up as who you were created to be, just the thought of you is powerful.
