Growth is our gift
We put up bird feeders in our back yard this year. Birds are fascinating creatures. I love learning about all the species of birds that gather outside our windows.
Cardinals sing more than a dozen different songs. A woodpecker’s tongue wraps around its brain to provide extra padding and protection when drilling into trees. Some crows, which are cooperative breeders, choose to stay near where they are born to help raise future young and defend their nest, rather than having hatchlings of their own.
Each bird species has evolved talents and traits to survive and thrive. As fascinating as I find these creatures, I know a bird’s life is very limiting. A cardinal can only be a cardinal. It cannot wake up tomorrow and choose to be a woodpecker.
Birds cannot go against their nature. In fact, no species on this planet escapes its own genetic wiring and tendencies except humans. The gift of humanity is growth.
Knowledge is power
Of course, we all have our own tendencies, too. According to my Everything DiSC profile, I am a Di. As a Di, my natural tendency is to propose big ideas and to move quickly toward solutions. This serves me well most of the time. If I am not mindful, however, my enthusiasm and preference for action can overwhelm others who tend to take a more cautious and methodical approach.
And this is where the gift of being human comes in. Though I lean toward action, I can also learn to accommodate others’ styles. I get to think about and choose the behaviors best suited to the current situation.
Sometimes I work with people or teams who view themselves only as cardinals, or woodpeckers, or crows. They assume their tendencies are their destinies, that it is impossible to change the nature of a person or a team. The truth is that we get the chance every day to wake up and decide who we want to be, what we want to be, and how we want to be. We can recognize and appreciate our histories, tendencies, and strengths without letting them rule us.
As a coach, I watch clients gain new insights, adapt to circumstances or the needs of others, and overcome challenges all the time. I love seeing a person or team fundamentally shift assumptions, perspectives, and behaviors to find success.
Growth is the gift of being human. I help clients learn to open that gift every day.
