This is one of the most noble and generative expressions of creative tension:
An individual who is growing into leadership, while also co-creating the vision of the organization, all the while holding a larger moral purpose—to grow the organization in a way that creates employment and dignity for others.
This kind of personal-collective-systemic alignment is exquisitely powerful—and also fragile, especially under pressure. To stand in that tension without collapse, this individual needs daily and weekly anchoring practices, protective structures, and a vision-rooted moral compass.
🧭 YOUR CREATIVE TENSION
| Vision | Current Reality |
|---|---|
| Grow into leadership + co-create a living vision for the organization that also opens economic opportunity for others | Real pressure: job expectations, performance metrics, limited authority, internal resistance, personal fear of failure or invisibility |
The danger is overidentifying with success, collapsing under stress, or slowly becoming disconnected from the larger moral purpose.
🌿 DAILY PRACTICES TO STAND IN CREATIVE TENSION
🔹 1. Morning Centering: Reconnect to Personal Purpose (10 min)
“Today I grow by contributing—not by proving.”
- Sit in stillness.
- Repeat an intention like: “I serve my organization by making space for people to grow. I don’t lead from control, I lead from vision.”
- Breathe into your deeper reason for doing this work: Why does this matter to you? Who benefits beyond you?
🔹 2. Morning Preview: Choose Leadership Moments Before They Happen
“Today, where do I want to lead—by clarity, not force?”
- Ask:
- What meeting, conversation, or email needs my leadership presence today?
- What would that look like?
- What tone would reflect the vision we’re building?
Write it down. Pre-lead.
🔹 3. Midday Check-In (2 min)
“Am I leading from vision or reacting to pressure?”
- Just pause at lunch.
- Ask: What’s pulling me right now? Vision, fear, proving, survival?
- Realign if needed.
🔹 4. Evening Reflection: Track Progress from the Vision’s View (10 min)
“Where did I grow the organization today? Where did I grow as a leader?”
- Ask:
- Where did I support the co-creation of our shared vision?
- Where did I act with integrity and openness?
- Where did I go small, hide, or react?
Keep a Vision Journal: small entries, big awareness.
🌀 WEEKLY STRUCTURES FOR SUPPORT AND ALIGNMENT
🟢 1. Peer Practice Partner (Weekly 45 min)
- Find 1 other person in your org (or another sector) also trying to lead with vision.
- Share:
- A success story
- A resistance moment
- A recommitment
This protects you from the isolation of vision-bearers.
🟢 2. Vision-Coherence Meeting (Monthly or Biweekly)
“Are we still building the organization we meant to build?”
- Hold or propose a regular meeting with peers or teams to reconnect to:
- The organization’s larger why
- Stories of alignment and disconnection
- Ideas for embodying the vision more clearly
Protect the vision together.
🟢 3. Mentor or Elder Council
“Who reminds me I’m not alone and not crazy?”
- One or two trusted elders or mentors who see your journey and can remind you:
- To trust the process
- That tension is not failure
- That clarity and love are strength
🌍 WHY THIS IS SYSTEMICALLY ESSENTIAL
“When individuals inside institutions grow with integrity, the institution becomes a vessel for justice.”
You are doing what few dare to do:
- Not just climb the ladder, but build it wider
- Not just lead for status, but lead to open doors for others
- Not just serve your team, but serve the unemployed still waiting outside
This is what regenerative leadership looks like.
🧘♂️ FEELINGS TO CULTIVATE DAILY
When standing in creative tension, these feelings can hold you steady:
| Feeling | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Grounded commitment | Keeps you rooted in purpose, not perfection |
| Quiet hope | Allows you to trust growth over time |
| Gentle courage | Enables you to speak even when unsure |
| Reverent responsibility | Reminds you that what you build touches lives beyond the office |
| Gratitude | For the privilege to shape a system, even partially |
✨ Closing Affirmation
“I am not just growing a career—I am growing a vessel. I lead from vision, not from fear. I build not only for myself, but for those who will come after me. My work is seed, not performance.”
Systems Thinking Research & Leadership Development Institute (STRLDi) 