Seizing It

You can begin “Seizing It” by being a paradigm pugilist.

 A few years ago I attended a training session where the trainer said that his entire job could be summarized in two words, “Paradigm Pugilist”.  I thought this was very clever, as the concept covered by the two words was powerful, and I liked the alliteration.  However, as often happens with communication, my friends with me did not like it at all, because they did not understand what it meant!  And thus are great ideas sometimes lost!

 In this context, some definitions to get us started:

• Paradigm – your view of reality
• Pugilist – a boxer
• Alliteration – words that begin with the same letter 🙂 

So why do I think it is important that Leaders With “It” become Paradigm Pugilists, or boxers who take left and right jabs until they bust apart the current reality? 

 To really drive effective change, a leader has to sometimes recognize that the way an organization does things is no longer effective.  To take small incremental steps in a new direction is just not enough, and will take too long to bring about real progress.  A true leader, in these circumstances, has the courage to take drastic measures to move in that new direction.  These leaders become Paradigm Pugilists. 

 I think it is important to note that this is the first part of effective change management, that is, the courage to look at things in a brand new way and change course.  Executing on the change, and preparing the organization for that change by communication and training, are also critical steps.

 Can these concepts be applied to our personal lives as well?  Are you stuck?  Are you tired of repeating the same patterns of behavior?  Have you ended up in a place that isn’t where you want to be anymore? Do you need to take stock and reevaluate your direction?  You might need to become a Paradigm Pugilist to effect real and meaningful change in your life.  Sometimes we have to look at a new route to get to where we want to go.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention

Awareness is the first step to bringing about any change – awareness of your dissatisfaction with where you are; awareness of your ability to bust out of the box you have placed yourself in and create a new reality.   If awareness is followed by discovery of a new horizon, if intention to reach that horizon is born, and if that intention translates into action, then we can move ourselves, and our organizations, to new and better possibilities. Become a Paradigm Pugilist, and you, too, can begin Seizing “It”.

Copyright © 2010  Pamela Geer, SeizingIt.com – All Rights Reserved

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