Creating an Individual Platform
Introduction
In related articles, I have written about the distinction between what a “leader of leaders” does in organizations and what a “leader of followers” does. Today, many leaders in America are primarily problem solvers. Few know how to lead leaders. Often leaders of followers use threats and coercion to lead others, but this is rarely sustainable. And, it certainly does not bring out the best in followers
“Leaders of leaders” have a different role from “leaders of followers.” They develop a platform and expectations that the organization and the organization’s “leaders” use to set the tone, ethics, personality, and direction of an organization. They use this platform and set of expectations to figure out the best answers to systemic challenges and entire classes of problems an organization can face.
In a related article I have defined what a platform is and how to create a platform driven organization. This article complements this analysis because it has become clear every person can benefit from creating a platform upon which they build their own identity, their own operating principles, their own set of expectations, and their own set of beliefs and rules to guide their lives.
Key Elements of an Individual Platform
The first element of creating an individual platform is to be able to understand one’s self well enough to know one’s strengths, one’s weaknesses, one’s most important and essential desires/goals, and most importantly, one must determine what set of rules or principles one will use in attempting to reach his or her goals. In order to accomplish this first element, one must write down and review and study one’s answers to these questions. The philosopher Sam Keen takes an interesting and most unusual stance on this topic in an interview with Bill Moyers. He states that every person must have a “myth,” a guiding, larger than life story line, with a huge purpose and huge set of goals that guides one’s life. This myth that one creates for one’s own life becomes the perch from which one views all of life, creates a context for one’s life, and ultimately influences every decision, behavior, and attitude of the individual.
Basically, the “myth” becomes an essential part of the identity of that individual. Sam Keen uses the word “myth” is a totally positive way. That myth can be as simple as, “I am no longer just a face in the crowd. I now must make a difference in the world,” or “I shall serve as an example to others,” or “I shall be the richest or most politically powerful person in the world.”
The second element of creating an individual platform is to communicate the essence of that platform to others. As George Herbert Mead’s work compiled in the book Mind, Self and Society, clearly explains, the “self” (which includes one’s platform as a core element) exists only in relation to other-selves. It is the interaction with and response from other “selves” that helps guide and ultimately shape one’s “self.” Taking your newly developed platform “on the road” and sharing it with others is an essential element in the refinement of a platform upon which one can guide one’s life.
The third element of creating a strong individual platform is to begin, in the short run, to live consistently with the key elements of that platform. This burst of activity, energy and new expression of “self-direction” may not be received well by all with whom one comes into contact. One must realize this is a burst of activity that must over time be moderated in order to avoid burnout. One must push through this initial period to find “balance” or “pace” to make it enduring or sustainable. Each person must create the “space” to live consistent with the platform and do what is needed to survive, and even succeed, in this world, however you or your culture defines success.
The fourth element of creating a platform is to incorporate the basic elements of the platform into a long term plan for one’s self, family and organizations. When planning even for one’s self, significant others must be consulted, but not necessarily obeyed. When planning for organizations, one must win over enough supporters to win politically to carry forth the plan consistent with the platform one has created.
The fifth element of creating a platform is to know that it is an evolving set of ideas, concepts and actions. Action and experience will inform the ideas and concepts that form the core of your platform. Others will advise you on what your platform should be, and you may agree or disagree with them. Learning from experience, but never getting stuck in the past, will provide the wisdom necessary to carry forth one’s life consistent with the platform that one has created for her or himself. The process of life itself will also provide a full complement of challenges to the platform that one creates for one’s self. It will allow “failure” to test the very core of the platform. It may, even temporarily, “defeat the platform.” But, the platform, should survive.
Sustaining and Growing An Individual Platform
Eventually, one may find that life, in general, will become more supportive of one’s platform or life will guide one through the school of hard knocks to reform, refine and redirect the platform so that the platform is always a strong enabler of the individual to accomplish one’s life goals. The key to sustaining the individual platform is always communicating the platform as one lets others know more about one’s self. Over time, you will become known as the “person who [fill in the blank]…”, or “the person who would not allow that to happen,” etc. Once one becomes known more for one’s platform, rather than one’s performance, race, looks, or wealth, or other faulty common 21st century criteria that guides one’s interaction with one another, then the world will, if the platform is good, become more supportive of you and your platform.
Conclusion
The idea of a personal platform to guide one’s life is neither new nor radical, but it is not often discussed in western societies. The process I have described in this short article is only a start to creating a sustainable, evolving platform for one’s life, which can be done at any age. The process is not overwhelmingly complex. It can be started today and it can be undertaken quite rapidly. Most importantly, is an act of creation, an act, which will help define and orient the “self” and one’s identity, and can be used as an essential building block by every individual on the planet. Not only do leaders benefit from having a platform, every person benefits from having a clearly defined platform upon which they live their life and make their decisions.