Today I will be teaching our course on Collaborative Leadership to a small group of executives.  The conversation will emphasize the evolution in leadership practices that drive performance across a large, complex, decentralized enterprise competing in an industry that is being completely reinvented.

Welcome to the future of work.

The objective will be to provide each executive with ideas thy can immediately leverage to impact the business.  Inspiration is nice but it isn’t good enough when you have to deliver a number and the end of the fiscal quarter is fast approaching.

I know the conversation will inevitably approach that BIG question I often consider the white elephant in the room:

Can I make a difference?

The answer to that question is yes.

There has never been a better time to insert yourself into the chaos, challenge the status quo, make bold choices and create meaningful, lasting change.  You don’t need permission to have influence or impact.

You just need to recognize that change starts with you.  Your decisions.  Your attitude.  Your actions.

Meaningful change often starts in a moment.  A decision followed by the resolve to stay the course.

That’s hard work.  Some Mangers and Leaders would prefer to hide. It’s easier that way.  Seems safer (perhaps it is in the short term).

It is also the most important work.  The work really worth doing.  So what you can you do?

Decide.

Once you’ve decided here are a few ideas on where to start.