From mild mannered mortals to legendary idealists with a call to action and the donning of a costume!
Consider these legendary super heroes and their appeal... What is the attraction?
Perhaps it is the rush of the sudden might and skill to save the day, the attractive figure they cut in their unique hero attire that exemplifies winning, or that you can count on them to be stand up for good over evil when all else is lost!
I wonder if these fantasy figures or alternatively, your favourite hero if you cannot associate with these, has a spark of cool that inspires you to motivation, causes you to associate with them, or wish you could naturally emulate them?
One thing is for sure, as you watch an episode part of you may want their true identity revealed as mild mannered ordinary folk, while the other part never wants it revealed lest the fantasy be ruined.
These two fantasy characters have much in common with many legendary super heroes including their total self-belief and self-confidence, the finesse and ease with which they act out their wisdom and that they consistently achieve a winning outcome.
If you could don the costume or more specifically, the persona, of your favourite super hero, how would that help you in the world of business?
Perhaps you think this is a flight of fancy? Perhaps, but come with me anyway...
In the business context, if I asked you to put on a persona for each of the following, how would you act them out, what immediate behaviours stereotypical of each springs to mind for?...
Bank Teller, Salesperson, Administrator, CEO, IT test analyst, CFO, Marketing Manager and HR Manager.
Now think about each persona and how it may change if this person was to step up when the pressure is on and positively save the day. What do you notice?
What is real is that the persona under normal circumstances does not completely alter when they step up to save the day, but rather it is magnified.
Sometimes they may look different because of the extreme shift. It is almost like they have put on a costume! However, if they are to be real and bring through their super hero persona the thread of that behaviour must be stored away in ready reserve, much like the costume of our super heroes.
Have you ever donned a costume for a party, perhaps somewhat reluctantly at first, and found that you begin to not only take on the persona but really enjoy it? I wonder if you search your memory do you find some extremes of persona came out to play?
You influence every minute with the persona you naturally convey. If you want to positively influence your persona must come from positivity.
If you want to lead and/or sell with confidence and belief then first you must find belief and confidence within you. If not for you personally then for the cause you are stepping forward to defend.
If you can't easily access the necessary attributes of the persona, imagine you are your own super hero and are called upon to save the day. Remember, you don't need to change, you simply need to bring out the best of yourself.
To access this you need either a reason big enough or consequences dire enough. Where are you now on that scale? If you are not motivated to action for yourself, ask yourself, What are my colleagues or clients missing out on when I am not stepping up?
Your world needs you, it is your destiny calling! Be your own super hero! Otherwise your world could be left with a Mickey or Minnie Mouse solution, which may be a laugh, but is unlikely to save the day.
Until next month, don your cape and fly!
Noelene Dawes
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