Raise your personal bar with 3P power

By Shelly Berman-Rubera/ Leadership
as published by BostonHerald.com on
Friday, September 1, 2006

In this culture of overwhelm, apathy, exhaustion and the demand to succeed, the call for building 3P personal, professional and physical power and personal leadership is extreme and imperative. Living life today simply requires greater skills and strength.

The word “leadership” usually evokes thoughts of leading others or of being led. Personal leadership is about leading oneself.

3P power comes from understanding what you feel passionate about and having clarity about your core values and then connecting the two.

People with personal, professional and physical power are those who want to be in charge of themselves and to make a positive impact in the lives of the people around them. It is by building your 3P power that you can realize your full potential.

The following six pathways will increase your capacity to lead effectively and build 3P power. They will help make you flourish in a world that isn’t always supportive.

Vision/Attitude/Accountability. Vision can invoke possibility, passion and purpose (more 3P). The combination of having a personal as well as an organizational vision combined with a positive attitude and a means to hold yourself as well as others accountable is a powerful pathway to achieving growth.

Personal Mastery. People with personal mastery are in charge of their strength training, nutrition and moving their body. The intrinsic rewards in having this in place reach into every other part of your life. You can’t buy this, no one can give it to you and the relationship between achieving physical strength and attaining personal and professional power is one of the most powerful tools there is.

Choice/Action/Outcome. Choice is your most precious gift. The fact is, your future is determined by the choices you make right now. One way to hold on to your vision and make good choices is to ask yourself the question: Will this choice move me toward my vision or will it take me away?

Dialog/Communication. A significant skill affecting every interaction is how you say things and receive them. Effective language and communication strategies influence the outcome of all situations, personal and professional.

Networking/Community/Connection. Networking and being involved in the community help make connections that grow individuals as well as organizations. Seeking support, being involved and giving back are essential to the development of self and the company.

Commitment/Resolve/Persistence. The main principle of growth is a commitment to your own personal development, a commitment beyond a commitment which is resolve. Commitment is persistence toward the visions you create for yourself, your company and the people around you.

The synergy of having these pathways in place can make a difference individually and in organizations. They are healthy, sustainable and growth producing.

Organizational learning and development must occur on a personal level, first and foremost. It is essential that, as a leader, you lead yourself before you lead others. Your strength is your personal leadership. You are the leader of you.

By building your 3P power, the more you feel in control of your life, your personal development, your work and your family, the more spirit, passion, excitement and energy you will feel.

Shelly Berman-Rubera is the president of SBR Leadership, Newton. As a leadership/fitness educator and speaker, she provides keynotes, workshops and individual consulting to help people establish the skills and commitment necessary to make a difference in their companies, their lives and those around them.