How transformation and creating a new paradigm differ in
developing of empowerment?
We assume someone starts where they are and want to wind up some place new. Where will that be?
This may be a little heady, so hope you have had your
coffee.
This is a crucial distinction We're hitting on the
difference between incremental change and a fundamental shift in perception.
Here's how transformation and creating a new paradigm
differ in the context of developing empowerment, and where someone starting
"where they are" will wind up:
Transformation vs. Creating a New Paradigm in
Empowerment
- Transformation:
- What
it is: Transformation is the process
of significant, deep, and often irreversible change. It's about moving
from one state to a distinctly new one. In empowerment, this means evolving
from a state of feeling disempowered, stuck, or lacking agency, to a
state of feeling empowered, confident, and proactive. It's the
journey of internal growth, skill acquisition (like managing fear and
mastering interviews), and behavioral changes that lead to visible
results.
- How
it feels: It often involves a "death"
of the old self (old habits, old beliefs, old fears) and the
"birth" of a new one. It's the experience of becoming.
- Examples
in Empowerment: Learning new communication skills,
successfully managing a fear, acing an interview, consistently taking
initiative, building self-belief. These are all transformative acts
and processes.
- Creating
a New Paradigm:
- What it is: A paradigm is a fundamental worldview, a set of underlying assumptions, beliefs, and practices that shape how you perceive reality and approach problems.
- Creating a new paradigm in
empowerment means fundamentally changing your belief system about
where your power comes from, how career advancement works, and your
inherent worthiness. It's the "aha!" moment where the old
rules you've been playing by suddenly look flawed, and a new, more
effective framework for success emerges in your mind.
- How
it feels: It's a cognitive shift, a change in
the "lens" through which you see your career and yourself. It's
the realization: "I've been thinking about this all wrong!"
- Examples
in Empowerment:
- Old
Paradigm: "I need to wait for my boss to
promote me."
- New
Paradigm: "I am responsible for my own
career progression, and my empowered actions demand
promotion."
- Old
Paradigm: "My worth is tied to my job
title."
- New
Paradigm: "My worth is inherent, and my
career advancement is a reflection of the value I already
bring."
- Old
Paradigm: "Fear means I should avoid
risk."
- New
Paradigm: "Fear is a signal to
strategically prepare and grow."
The Relationship:
Creating a new paradigm drives transformation.
Transformation validates and embodies the new paradigm.
You can have incremental transformation (e.g., getting a
bit better at interviewing) without a full paradigm shift (e.g., still
believing you're "lucky" when you get a job). But for truly sustained
and accelerated empowerment and advancement, the paradigm shift is
foundational. The transformation is the proof and the path of
that shift.
Where Will They Wind Up?
Someone who starts "where they are" (stuck,
fearful, lacking confidence) and fully embraces this journey of empowerment
(driven by a new paradigm and achieved through transformation) will wind up in
a place of:
1. Proactive
Agency: They will see themselves as the primary architects of
their career, not passive recipients of opportunity. They make things
happen.
2. Unshakeable
Self-Belief: They will operate from a deep conviction in
their own capabilities and worth, largely immune to imposter syndrome or
external validation. They know they're valuable.
3. Strategic
Confidence: They will approach challenges (like
interviews or new leadership roles) not with dread, but with a confident,
calculated readiness, knowing they possess the inner resources to succeed or
learn. They expect to succeed.
4. Authentic
Leadership: Their empowerment will naturally extend to
influencing and inspiring others, regardless of their formal title, because it
comes from a place of genuine strength and clarity. They lead from
within.
5. Accelerated
Growth & Fulfillment: Their career path will feel less like a
climb and more like a natural unfolding of their potential, leading to
promotions that feel earned and fulfilling, not just achieved. They are thriving.
In essence, they move from being a passenger in their career to becoming the pilot, navigating with a powerful internal compass.
Hope you survived this talk. Its all part of the instruction for my 1 Year Master Class
#empowerment, #leadershipskills, #personaldevelopment, #promotions