Personal Leadership

This body of work includes the design and facilitation of workshops to lead participants into their desired futures. The first steps may include bringing the desired state into form through a variety of multi-sensory experiences and then backcasting from this vision into current reality to close the gap between the present and the future with concrete action steps. The work also includes teasing past events to the surface that connect to one's vision in some way either as supporting pillars and/or as barriers, and wading through moments of current reality (or the perception thereof) in order to find coordinates that mark a possible path from lived reality into the desired future. Once these coordinates are charted, closing the gap means designing a personal action plan that involves shifting beliefs, clarifying values, acquiring knowledge, and honing new skills. In my experience, those who work collaboratively learn more about themselves and move more directly and quickly into their desired futures. The possibilities for creative engagement in this work are literally endless, and much of the work is less linear than planning action steps. However, the initial linearity in the process brings structure to the work, and many people want and need a structure for finding their way. Once the way is found, the structure can disappear and life can flow more organically as it is mean to be. Personal Leadership work may occur in organizations as part of an overarching strategy and/or in communities of practice, and sometimes leads to long-term engagement with participants through coaching. Below examples demonstrate what some of these "visioning" activities might look like.

Individuals (re-)investigating their career goals

Group working with indigenous methods

Group working with Story Cubes

Individuals working on their visions

Designing Your Future Workshop Series

Coachees creating their pathways for Talent-Based Self Management

Designing your Future Online Workshop Series

Showcased below are some of the artifacts of the series created by Veronique de Groot and Cheryl Edenfield.

Watch the last few minutes of the online class, as participants discuss their successes and express their appreciation for one another. This will give you a sense of the power of working through this process in a community:

Veronique de Groot's Amazing Story

Through the personal visioning process (as documented below, and resulting in the large drawing above), Veronique has created her heart's desire: to become a successful independent creative professional who is helping others.

Veronique's Television Appearance

Veronique tells the story of how she was empowered by the Designing Your Future process to reach for her dream:

"Being a part of this group is what gave me the courage to follow my heart and just go for it! As I had documented in my dream journal, I had a dream that I contacted the news station and asked them if I could do a demo on baking the perfect sugar cookies. Sooooo many times in my life have I held myself back from the fear of rejection. However, doing our exercises and digging deep to find purpose and happiness together has really inspired me to push forward and is ultimately what gave me the strength to just ask... Being given this opportunity really makes me feel like the possibilities are endless in this world and gives me such great hope! So thank you again for continuing to inspire me through your own experiences and to find our place on this planet. I'm still not sure exactly where it is but at least I feel like I'm getting warmer!  I love baking and decorating cakes and cookies. Helping others to be good at this as well gives me great pleasure! So here's the 10 minute clip from the news on Christmas Eve morning where I share my tips to make the most perfect sugar cookies. I was a little nervous but I had a ton of fun!"

Veronique's Appearance in Cake Masters

Since her debut on TV, Veronique was asked by well known international cake magazine, Cake Masters, to create a tutorial for her edible art, fully aligning her with her life's vision.

She reports:
"I was just asked by a well known international cake magazine (called Cake Masters) to create a tutorial of a watering can cake I made for their spring issue that will be released in March! Now I get to fulfill my desire to share my skills and help others with this tutorial I'm creating! Here's a photo of the cake I made."