Today I have a new understanding, one that suggests that, in fact, I need to opt for myself more than 10% of time. However, I'm still basically someone who likes to give and I like that about myself, so it's really important for me not to become that 'self-centered' person I described earlier. And that brings me to concept of choosing to put me on front burner, to live on front burner.

This analogy is really appropriate for me. I think it works because I still am a person who cares for others. So, while I may have neglected myself on back burner, I find that I do not neglect others back there. The result is that I am truly taking care of myself and caring for others at same time, for first time in my life. Sometimes we just need right analogy or framing for an idea to really take hold. This 'front burner' idea is perfect for me. In fact, I now keep tea kettle on front burner on stove. This way, every time I walk into kitchen I am reminded of this shift in my thinking and it helps me remain focused and clear about this positive new action and change in my life.

Where in your life have you been putting yourself on back burner and forgetting about you? Are you a harried parent, juggling work and family? An over-conscientious leader or manager? Oldest sibling? Youngest sibling? Caught between aging parents and developing children? No matter how overwhelmed you might be feeling, it is possible to find some moments of time just for yourself. The key is remembering that there are very few true either/or situations. You truly get to take care of yourself and handle your responsibilities to others. Make a conscious decision to live YOUR life on front burner!

Effective leaders transform interpersonal activities into creative exercises. They orient their followers to focus on reflecting, learning, thinking, questioning, resolving, creating, discussing, debriefing, playing and interacting.

You would involve and join your stakeholders - partners, associates, peers, suppliers, constituents and others who might a part or vested interest in your venture - to build a shared vision with as broad a group of your stakeholders as possible.

Logical Action-Step Five: Capitalize on Wise Synergism

Perhaps you have heard of principle of master-mind - it's where two or more people harmonize their thinking around a specific project or problem for express purpose of forming a mind that is greater than sum of its parts.

Great inventors and leaders like Thomas Edison, George Washington, Alfred Nobel and many others used their master-mind groups to generate fantastic innovations, policies and achievements for all humankind.

You can leverage collaborative activities of your team through strategist's approach to leadership. You can expand time horizon of your strategies to encompass a range from 3 to 21 years.

The benefits that strategic leaders provide is that their groups enjoy opportunities to:

- Share their reflections on your mission and vision

- Openly disclosure, support and confront any differences between organization's and their personal values

- Conduct corporate and personal performance appraisals

- Creatively resolve paradoxes or contradictions in productivity versus inquiry, autonomy versus control, and quality versus quantity

- Interactively develop self-amending and self-correcting structures

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You can multiply your creativity and creative leadership skills just by applying these strategies to all of your problems, situations and decisions.

Experts in psychology, management and organizational sciences call these strategies, "action-logic" - their studies reveal that professionals generally fall into one of three different behavioral categories: 1) Reactive - 5% 2) Preventive - 85% 3) Creative - 10%

This article has described "creative" forms of action-logic - by using these strategies people will be moved to call you an "individualist", a "strategist" or a "magician"!

"I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a "transformer" in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader." Stephen R. Covey

Are you ready to leverage, empower and energize your creative leadership? Are you willing to be that catalyst, agent of change or provocateur who inspires others to contribute to growth of your organization?

Ensure success of your "Strategically Wise Synergistic Process of Creation" with these 5 "Logical Action Steps" - your teammates and organization will be so glad you did.

Mustard Seed Investments Inc. Copyright © 2004, All rights reserved

------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bill Thomas produces "The Leadership Toolkit" - a web based training program that improves your leadership skills, energizes creativity and transforms you into a persuasive, empowering leader. Inspire Confidence, Be Creative, Enhance Your Leadership Influence - Get "All Tools You Need To Lead!" http://www.leadership-toolkit.com/info.html ------------------------------------------------------------