Intentionality. According to the Oxford dictionary: A noun meaning the fact of being deliberate or purposive. Not to be confused with intention – a noun meaning an aim or a plan. Intentionality is the attitude of purposefulness, with a commitment to deliberate action. It is not just wanting to do something, or planning to do something. It is the reason behind how we prioritize our time and ultimately take action.
It is far too common for people to drift their way through life. Sure, most people WANT to be successful. We wake up each morning with the intent to do our best at whatever is on the agenda. While there are many definitions of success – job title, wealth, possessions, family or faith – each of us must decide what it looks like in our life. Unfortunately, we often drift our way through life, like a boat on the ocean. We let the current take us to the destination it choses. The wind may change our path, but we ultimately come to rest at some random location and begin to make the best of it. Or we take on water and start to sink.
This concept made me think about how busy we are these days, running from one thing to the next. Are we running in place or making progress towards where we want to be? We often don’t seem to have a moment to rest, recharge or even think about what we should be doing next. Juliet Funt, the author of A Minute to Think, speaks about this. I love her energy and empathy toward the life we all seem to be living. She calls them over-caffeinated and zoom-filled days, where we hardly have time to breathe as we run from one meeting or event to the next. She’s right. We are driven by our calendar, email and social media accounts. If we aren’t deliberate about how we manage those things, we can easily lose focus, direction and purpose. Michael Hyatt, author of Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want, says “the busier you are, the more intentional you must be.” This couldn’t be more true!
Personal growth takes intentionality. It doesn’t matter what aspect of your life you want to grow in. If you want to get better at something, you have to be intentional in your thoughts and deliberate in your actions. Growth takes time and practice. Whether you want to improve your communication, be a better leader, or build more trust with your team, it all starts with intentionality.
My personal growth journey started a bit like that boat drifting on the ocean. I’ve always had leadership tendencies, even from my high school younger days. In high school I was the color guard co- instructor for the marching band, teaching my peers while also performing alongside them. In college, I instructed college and high school color guards, teaching, motivating and trying to inspire others to achieve performance success.
My professional career started as an individual contributor, but it only took a few years to move into a management role. Along the way, I grew my skills and continued to lead my teams to results. I changed jobs to gain additional responsibilities and learn more about the world of manufacturing from a variety of industries. I stayed with organizations that challenged me and provided growth opportunities. I left those that didn’t. The problem was, I had no real plan. I was floating and letting the tide take me where it wanted. I was fortunate to have had a few wonderful mentors along the way, making the seas a little less rocky and shifting the tide in a positive direction! But many of my growth decisions were more by accident than by intentionality.
Intentionality came after two impactful events – my brother Mike’s military retirement and his funeral. At his retirement, it was evident he had made a difference as a leader. The respect and admiration from his team was authentic and heart-felt. It was clear in his communication that he felt the same about them. At his funeral, I heard story after story about the impact he had on people he served with throughout his career. Soldiers talked about how he inspired and motivated them to be and do their best, regardless of the situation. Officers talked about the high level of integrity he brought to his position. I walked away from those events wondering how he developed leadership skills to become so impactful to those around him. He had transcended the management of the situation to become the leader of the organization.
I realized after his funeral that I was managing and not leading. With intentionality, I focused on becoming the leader my team needed me to be, not just the manager of a process. I studied the habits of great leaders. I read books and attended conferences. I continually looked for gaps between where I was and where I wanted to be. And I sought out feedback, even when it was hard to hear.
But intentionality requires deliberate action. Learning is important, but is not enough. Growth takes time, action and practice. It only truly happens outside your comfort zone. So I put myself in professional situations that were uncomfortable. I practiced new communication strategies, intentionally asked to lead projects where I was not the expert to focus on building trust and communication, and joined a group of leaders who pushed me to be better every day. I shared my intentions for personal change with my team, and asked for grace and feedback while I practiced new behaviors. No one is good the first time! I made mistakes, and learned along the way.
Growth is a continual journey and there is no final destination. But random activity can keep you running in place or floating adrift on the ocean. It can make you feel busy, yet never seeing progress. First step – evaluate your calendar. Are there intentional growth activities on it? Don’t be too busy today that you cannot focus on tomorrow. Stay focused on your purpose and take deliberate actions to keep moving toward your goal.
“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” ~ Aristotle
Hallway Consulting Group 
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