Why do you need to make a difference?

Now that you’ve seen the overview of where this blog (and its book) are headed, let’s discuss why it’s so important to make your difference.

Are you watching the world go astray while feeling you can’t make a difference? If all 7 billion of us keep thinking this way then we’re all on the Titanic – whether the sinking ship is your workplace or the world.

Why do you need to be a positive agent? Everyone will have their own reasons, but generally speaking, we are facing tremendous global, environmental, economic, societal and organizational challenges and we need everyone’s ideas and energy to solve them. We can’t afford disengaged workers – we need everyone aboard, not for organizational performance alone, but to create solutions and innovations to solve our challenges. The same goes for disengaged citizens, indifferent consumers, cold communities… We can’t afford to be indifferent.

Because: Your World

Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer summarize the Why nicely in their book Leading from the Emerging Future.
They claim that we are collectively creating results that nobody wants. They discern three main challenges.
The ecological divide: we currently use 1.5 times Planet Earth; that is our ecological footprint. This is the divide between self and nature.
The social divide: 2.5 billion people live on less than $2 a day, for instance… Here we see the divide between self and other.
The spiritual-cultural divide: people are excluded, experience lack of meaning and more and more feel depressed; here’s the divide between self and Self. Capital Self represents your highest future potential that you may develop – what you are here for on Planet Earth.
Positive Agents can help energize, engage, and empower people to collaborate and solve these big divides.

Positive Agents can help energize, engage, and empower people to collaborate Click To Tweet

Because: Your Workplace

If that’s not compelling enough, there’s a Why closer by, in your workplace. A business case for making a positive difference, as a leader, consultant, or employee:
Your organization or team probably needs to become more innovative, competitive, agile, and better at change. Or it needs to become kinder, so the best people won’t quit and diverse ideas get a chance. Maybe your employees are disengaged. Or your co-workers are lame, your boss unsupportive, your clients discontent. You feel stuck – and so is your workplace. A positive way to change that, is to become a Positive Agent.

Because: Your Purpose

Last but not least, you will probably have a personal Why. If you’re religious you value doing the right thing or not doing harm, or practicing compassion for all living creatures. Making a positive difference, being a positive agent, definitely falls into those categories.
But the Why lies beyond religion, rooted in our human needs. We need to be connected. We gravitate toward pleasant emotions and sharing experiences and things. If you have developed yourself, you feel inclined to support others and give back. We need to be seen and acknowledged. We need to feel valued – to make a positive difference to the life of others. We also have a need to learn and develop – and grow to our potential… Being a Positive Agent is natural, once you develop self.

You are a grand, unique being and, deep down, you want to make a difference Click To Tweet

Every person wants to matter. If nothing of the above appeals to you, you have shut off some part of yourself. You limit yourself – aware or not – for whatever reason (to avoid failure or disappointment, to protect your status or possessions, to avoid the hassle, to stay safe, etc).

You are a grand, unique being and, deep down, you want to make a difference.

Are you watching the world go astray, thinking you can’t make a difference? Let’s see if that thinking is proven to be correct.

This is book post #7 – level: ME

Here’s the earlier post.
Here‘s the next post

If you’re confused – please start with post #1 or check the Positive Power overview and read the Positive Agent Manifesto.

Leaders, employees, consultants, citizens – everyone can make a positive difference from any position, without needing permission or resources from others. This blog will help you see positive possibilities and (re)claim your positive agency. Unstuck yourself and engage others via your interaction and actions. Transform into a positive organization where people and performance thrive.

I’m blogging my next book: “Positive Power at Work – How to make a positive difference from any position.” Your feedback is appreciated!

You can help me by liking, sharing, and commenting.

Leave a Reply

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. katharine Hone

    Hi Marcella, I love your blogs, do you write in Dutch as well? This is exactly the kind of stuff that I’m trying to stimulate with my activities/business, but then from the permacultuur perspective – which has much the same foundation – systems thinking, own responsibilty etc. I’d love to share you blogs via my website, but then in Dutch? Are there possibilities?

  2. Wilfred Leonardo

    The most obvious ‘thing’ there is implies acting authentically; that assures you wil act always differently since anyone is unique and 1 of a kind.

  3. Ella

    This is such a powerful blog. Thank you very much for inspiring our community.

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