After my previous two posts on Positive Impact Scales I was asked how to coach using them. I have seen incredible changes in people and their organizations as they made changes in these four areas: Purpose, Impact, Money, and Ease. Here is my toolkit for increasing Positive Impact.
First, let me overview my 4-step process to coach the Positive Impact Scales.
Effective leadership produces a sustained result within the organization’s purpose. I developed the Positive Impact Scale to manage tradeoffs between Purpose, Impact, Money, and Ease. I wrote about those in 4 Tradeoffs to Create Positive Impact. This article looks at 4 strategies you may follow that actually reduce Positive Impact.
It’s sometimes more instructive to talk about what not to do. I’ve seen 4 common mistakes that leaders make when trying to create positive impact. By understanding these 4 mistakes, you can plan activities and predict outcomes, even unintentional ones, better.
The good is the enemy of the best. That is the case with Feel-Good Impact. A classic example is the non-profit focused on the slow work of poverty alleviation through education. That is its Purpose. They face the constant temptation to
“Changed lives,” Peter Drucker said, is the bottom line for the not-for-profit organization. To produce the sustained ability to change lives, you need purpose, effort, organization and money. Everything you do is a trade off between resources and results. Here are 4 scales I use to plan and make decisions to create sustainable positive impact.
Let me explain the four scales first, then I’ll show you how they interact.
Purpose answers the question Why? Purpose is the bigger picture you seek to achieve. Regardless of whether you are a solopenuer or large organization you must know and maintain focus on your purpose.
For a solopeneur, your purpose will be closely related to your calling and giftedness. You can stray from your calling, to go after money, for example, but you cannot continue for long without having the life drained out of your work.
