Excerpt from The Leadership Dojo: Build Your Foundation as an Exemplary Leader, By Richard Strozzi-Heckler.
(Numbers in parenthesis are Kindle locations.)
We make a distinction between embodying a stand and taking a position for a specific reason. When we take a position we live in a shorter horizon of time than when we embody a stand. (1552)
When we embody a stand, we are the stand. It’s not a thing, issue, or project that is apart from us. Our very identity is the stand. Our passion is the heart of the stand, our thinking is the intention and design of the stand, and our hands and legs take action for the stand. (1562)
The seduction of money, career, sex, or image doesn’t take someone away from his or her stand. An embodied stand is the ground from which you express your spirited commitment to dignity. (1572)
Embodying a stand in language is the narrative you have about what is important to you. This narrative expresses what you organize your life around. It’s the result of reflecting deeply about what matters to you and what you see possible in the historical time that you live. It’s not something you have automatically inherited from others, nor is it a novel idea that will bring opportunity your way, nor is it wishful thinking. Embodying a stand in language expresses your values and it produces purpose, meaning, and association with others. When we speak our stand there’s no stammering, hesitation, or confusion. Speaking our stand is both a bridge and a boundary in that it builds alliances with some and separates us from others. Our stand will be seen as an invitation to join or as a line that is not to be crossed. Whether others agree or not, they will find us believable, coherent, and committed when we embody a stand in language. We are the embodiment of this narrative.
Embodying a stand in action means that what you do, the activities you’re involved in, the actions you take are consistent with what you say. (1576)