Niels Teunis

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My gift

I have a gift. I see people by their potential, by their talents and their contributions. I see what works for people. Many of us see ourselves by our shortcomings and we live in a world that thrives on showing us our shortcomings. But that is not how I look at people. Not only do I see you differently, I will show you how to see yourself differently. That is my gift. It took me a long time to recognize that this was my gift, but finally I acknowledged for myself that what I have to offer is unique. I believe that everybody has their special gifts and talents. This one is mine: to make you a better you by showing you who you already are.

Very often we feel that we have to improve ourselves all the time. That is what all the self help world is all about. I don’t believe that anymore (though I have read my share of self help books). I am now convinced that our true challenge is to be who we already are. If we can do that, we will have no lack, no shortcomings, only strengths and contributions to this world.

As with many gifts, I am not always sure how this one works. It is magic sometimes, and that sounds strange from a down to earth person like me. But I have lived long enough to see it. People have more self confidence and are ready to engage the world with their own contributions, which are always successful. That is what I do.

Urgency

There is nothing soft about this. Despite my best efforts, I am an impatient person. I have learned to recognize that, because I do feel a sense of urgency and truly feel sad when I see someone spend a day feeling despondent about their life. Your life matters deeply to me. I am anxious to see what the contribution is going to look like once you made it and continue to make it. I am anxious to see the world improve because of your gifts. Your life can be a site of joy and fulfillment.

Leading your organization

Your organization can reach a much greater potential as well. I have seen many non-profits and most share this characteristic: they place the cause before the person. Of course, you work in the non-profit sector because of the values you have. To further our ideals we make sacrifices and we forego the higher salaries we might be able to make in the business world. None of that is a problem. But your organization will be much stronger when the people in your organization are treated well, when communications flows smoothly, when a shared sense of mission and outcome replaces the need for tedious process.

Working for a good cause requires that you have clarity about your vision and that you communicate that vision clearly in a manner that generates excitement. As a leader you need to communicate that vision all the time in everything you do. Posting a vision statement somewhere once is not the way and you know it. Mission statements are useless. Honestly, when have you last met someone who knew their mission statement by heart? For me that is once, and they had time on their hands to learn the mission statement. You don’t have that time.

You are a leader in your organization not because of the title that you have, make no mistake about it. If you are the one who communicates the vision, then you are the leader. There is no need to wait on “the leadership (i.e. The Boss) ” to tell you what the vision is. It is up to everybody, it is up to you to gain clarity of your vision and to express that vision in your everyday activities and communications.

To read more about my hopes and aspirations for your life and organization, please visit my blog.

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Thank you.