In the first phase of the project, our mission has been to study the best approaches for creating population health and wellbeing, given the intriguing blend of cultures and history which make up this country. This means I’ve been scouring research reports from the World Health Organization, Gallup, World Bank, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many others. I’ve been interviewing leaders from global corporations, governmental organizations, local communities, and non-governmental agencies, such as Russia’s National Research Centre for Preventive Medicine. (I have to say my interview with Igor Glasunov, former director of the Centre, was one of the most enlightening–what an endearing gentleman!) I’ve gained amazing insights about how Russians distinctively think about, value, and bring about health and wellness behaviors in their lives.

For me, one particular insight jumped to the front of the line. According to the Global Monitor, a yearly assessment done by the Futures Company, only 19 percent of Russians believe they can actually affect their health and wellbeing. Compare that to the close to 60 percent of U.S. citizens who do. Wow! As we settle into a new year, I’m struck with the question: What does it mean when only one in five people believe that they can influence positive change?

In pondering this question, I realize how steeped I am in the notion that to make positive, sustainable change in your life, you must– at least to some degree– believe you can accomplish it. Indeed, this belief that you have the power to improve your life situation is a source of energy and motivation for modifying behavior, both for you and me and for the communities and nations all around the world which are striving to evolve into healthier ways of operating.

As you craft your New Year’s resolutions and map out the actions you’ll use to achieve them, consider this: Do you actually believe you can effect changes for the better in your life and work? If not, then rewriting that limiting belief could be a powerful first step in how you lead the changes you want. And if you would like an inspirational soundtrack to help you address this meaty question, may I recommend the beautiful a cappella song “Kinder” by the trio Copper Wimmin? I cannot think of better music to get you in the right mood for believing in yourself:

The happiest of new years to you, dear reader. May you enjoy health and wellness in your experience each and every day. And may you be a walking invitation for a deep level of wellbeing for all other members of our human family.

Photo by Giuseppe Zeta

My client opened two restaurants last quarter. They aren’t franchises: each one is unique and the vitality of the business is fantastic! Hiring, purchasing, and marketing have exploded. Training is an almost daily activity. People are hired and, once their fit with the company is assessed, a few leave (occasionally in the same pay period). Communication—and sometimes miscommunication—abounds. The tables are always full, reservation lines busy. They’ve been riding the updraft and enjoying the buzz. Now, as things start to settle down, new needs are emerging including clearer roles and responsibilities as employees step up to new positions that didn’t exist four months ago. The founders’ original passion for great food and exceptional service is being matched by more internal order and consistent quality. Leaders are growing along with the business.

There are many resources for small business leaders around their ‘hard’ business needs. Beginning over 20 years ago, many premier business schools began entrepreneur studies and today the field is respected and substantial. But what about the ‘softer’ skills of leadership? What exactly does it mean to be open to growth? I’ll use a quote from Andrew Cohen, founder of EnlightenNext, to describe both the excitement and the challenge of leading a new product or service into the world:

It is indeed a heroic journey to risk what has worked in order to be open to new perspectives. Is it surprising that an entrepreneur’s own leadership growth can parallel that of their business ventures? The quest to see what is possible—for instance, to discover what difference we can make in our industries—is always front and center. It certainly was for me back at my startup, Biox. We were trying to transform Pulse Oximetry—and we did! Arterial blood oxygen levels were more available, resulting in better patient care. But, to me, the mystery of who leaders will be when they have succeeded is even more stimulating.

This kind of personal growth can serve as a key driving force for entrepreneurs. It’s sort of a Catch-22: In order to realize your potential you won’t really know how you must stretch until you’ve arrived. But it’s hardly just a waiting game. Ask yourself what new qualities and skills you want to emerge. Find someone who will be honest with you about your impact. Pay attention as your business unfolds before you; listen as it calls forth your growth as a leader.

For all entrepreneurs, whether you’re opening a new restaurant or launching a new product, that call for your own growth as a leader inevitably comes. It might be when you are bumping up against demands you aren’t quite prepared to meet. Or it can be when everything’s going great but you’re not sure what’s next. Those are the times to open yourself to grow. Leaders who leverage their strengths, let go of old ideas, and develop new capabilities poise themselves for success beyond their wildest dreams.

Photo by Alex E. Proimos

While my feet flew round and round on the pedals and my hamstrings howled, my mind kept running over that phrase. The power of those words and what I was watching on the screen provoked this question: How could each of us, from individuals to whole organizations, shake off the shackles of our own fears?

Now, to be fair, I do believe that fear is sometimes warranted. In fact, Discovery Health contends that without fear, we wouldn’t last long: “We’d be walking into oncoming traffic, stepping off of rooftops and carelessly handling poisonous snakes … In humans and in all animals, the purpose of fear is to promote survival.” But most of the time, our fear isn’t necessary. We often create fear from our worries about what might be, not what actually is. Out of this unneeded fear, we make decisions that we later regret, and carry with us an amazing amount of preventable stress.

One of my clients, a CEO, was recently gripped by the shackles of fear. I was in the middle of a six-person meeting when he joined us in the conference room. Instantly our friendly, productive conversations came to a halt. He nudged aside the decisions we’d been working toward, launching into a fiery venting session about his board. A few hours later, once his anger had subsided a bit, he and I talked about the situation.

His company board had just railed him for making a profit (huh?!) – apparently not enough to carry the shortcomings of the rest of the ailing organization. As we talked it through, we both realized that the wrath he’d vented in the conference room was fueled by a huge fear: Would he ever do enough to satisfy the board? For that matter, would he ever be enough to satisfy himself?

His job as a leader reminded me of Nataraj, the lord of dance in Hindu mythology. Nataraj dances on top of chaos and turmoil. Her dancing destroys things that are no longer useful and it helps to bring about wellbeing. There is a simple reason that Nataraj can rhumba on top of all that mess and somehow turn it to the world’s advantage. She has already conquered her fears. She has danced with her own demons. Unneeded anxieties no longer grip her. And thus her energies are available to serve benefits that extend well beyond herself.

Inspired by Nataraj, the CEO today keeps notes about her story by his computer. He says it serves as a reminder to face his fears rather than be led by them. The legend of Nataraj moves me as well; maybe she’s hit on at least part of the answer to my question: How could each of us, including our organizations, shake off the shackles of fear? Learning how to dance with our demons is a start.

Like most of us leaders, Nataraj is always on the move: dancing, dancing, dancing. This is not a dance of evasion or blissful ignorance. It’s a direct facing of fears that helps to bring sustainable order to the lives of others. This dance uplifts people and in turn helps them elevate themselves and the people around them. As leaders, isn’t that our job?

Photo by Michele Ahin, licensed under Creative Commons cc-by-sa 2.0