Dear friend,
Happy Chinese New Year
When I was young, becoming an adult was the ‘end’ goal. It meant being done with studying, gaining employment, moving out, and ‘adulting’. I believed in the common misconception that once I became an adult, I’d be done ‘growing’ up.
But that could not be further from the truth.
I began my entrepreneurship journey in 1991 along with my cousin and brother building businesses in Eastern Europe and eventually across war-torn Africa. I operated as a true achiever focusing my time and energy building a family enterprise together.
When I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, it shifted my life in a trajectory that I could never have planned for or imagined. I lost the ability to trust myself as my body caved in on me. It challenged my ability to make decisions, moving me from a quick, effective decision maker to a democratic leader that didn’t make any decisions but instead created space to facilitate the process for others to decide.
It’s taken me over a decade to rebuild the trust in myself to take the lead and make the hard decisions that strategic leaders are expected to. The cancer followed by divorce shifted me to the next stage of adult development but shattered my inner confidence in the process.
Research in human development has found that adults move through predictable stages of growth. These stages allow for adults to deal with more complexity, see more perspectives and be more aware of their own thinking.
In other words, we continue to grow even through adulthood.
We all operate from a center of gravity – we tend to think mainly from the current level of development we’re in, and when we grow through the stages, we transcend and include them.
As you look back on your life, can you identify specific moments that shaped and developed you to who you are at present?
Going through the STAGES assessment has given me awareness of where I stand, and insight to know what areas still need support and development. It’s helped me better understand and relate to my team at Qineticare, my loved ones, friends, and the families we serve. I nudge you to consider experiencing the STAGES assessment too.
As we embark on the year of the Tiger, a symbol of strength and bravery, I wish you growth and fulfillment in all areas of your life.
With love and gratitude,
feisal
Leadership awareness helps us to be more effective and succeed both in our professional and personal lives. Finding out how we view ourselves is the first step toward enhancing our own leadership development.
Take the Leadership Circle assessment to see what your Leadership profile looks like.
Many of us know our Intelligence quotient, commonly referred to as “IQ.” An IQ test is a standard assessment that measures a range of cognitive abilities and provides a score that is meant to serve as a measure of our intellectual abilities and potential.
But not many know their cognitive quotient or “Cq,” designed to provide a snapshot of one’s current cognitive abilities. Knowing where we stand lets us optimize our brain health, slow down the aging process and effortlessly perform at our peak.
Not every tricky situation we face will lead us to a world-changing innovation like penicillin or Uber.
But having the attitude that approaches problems as if they contain such opportunities will always bring us five important benefits. Read more here
The impact of human relationships on the future of organizations cannot be ignored these days. So how do we cultivate a happier, more productive and more successful workforce? Read more here
When most of us think about the effects of our eating habits, we consider how certain foods help us slim down, or bulk up, make us hungry for more, or leave us satisfied. But whatt about foods that fuel our brain? Read more here
Robert Kegan is one of the world’s leading developmental psychologists. He is one of the early pioneers to describe how development and personal transformation does not stop at adolescence, but can continue throughout our lives. Watch it here
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
– Lao Tzu
“To lead is to empower each person to evolve into their genuine selves. This is foundational, fueling them to be connected, engaged, and thus contributing to their maximum capacity”
– feisal alibhai
