Power Leaks:
As a coach, I relate to my clients as whole, complete, and inherently resourceful. There is nothing “wrong,” and there is nothing to “fix.” And, even the most empowered clients in my practice occasionally get stuck, or swirl, or find themselves unable to move forward with their preferred velocity and momentum. It is during these times when I look for possible power leaks.
Imagine, for a moment, a car. It runs smoothly for a time but then seems sluggish and seems to sputter. You don’t get the same mileage, and more effort is involved than the usual. You will likely get that car checked out. If you learn, for example, that it is leaking gas, this leak could explain the car trouble. Plugging that leak will likely restore optimum efficiency.
People are not cars, obviously. But consider that people can leak personal power at times. And, those leaks can interfere with progress towards our goals. In my experience in transformational work, I have found that there are two key places to look to find the power leaks in people: well-being and integrity. Let’s take these one at a time.
When I say well-being, I am speaking about holistic well-being, which is a very individualized concept. I do not mean the industry of self-care that has seemed to hijack well-being. Your well-being may, of course, include bubble baths with candles and smooth jazz, but I’m talking about a more comprehensive notion of wellness that includes self-care, relationships, spirituality, emotional health, and physical health. Again, what well-being means for you is individualized and unique. If well-being is sub-optimal, you will experience sluggishness in your projects and in your life. You may be moving forward, but you will likely not be in flow. Movement may feel harder than it should, and your momentum will falter.
Similarly, when integrity is compromised, people are less powerful than they can be. When I say integrity, I do not mean moral character; rather, I use integrity the way Gandhi described it: An alignment of our intentions, words, and actions. If, for example, you are a mission-driven person, but you spend 90% of your waking hours in a job that is solely about making money, you will likely experience that misalignment in the form of dissatisfaction, lack of fulfillment, or even malaise or depression. We are at our most powerful when we are speaking, acting, and using our time and energy in ways that are closely connected to our values as human beings.
