Reader

I woke up to these questions after several conversations last week with people who are feeling every emotion about what’s unfolding on the world stage.

Maybe you’re feeling angry, frustrated, exhausted, or powerless in the face of growing division and conflict, wondering what it actually takes to create real, lasting change.

So much of what we encounter each day is beyond our control, and it’s natural to want to tighten our grip on whatever feels close—our work, our families, our routines. But here’s the thing: control is conditional, and it’s often overrated.

When we try to control, compete, or even care our way to success—in life, at work, or on this planet—we often end up burning out, breaking down, or simply biding our time, caught on a relentless roller coaster of fear, effort, hope, and exhaustion.

We say we want to change the world, yet often we struggle to work through conflict and co-create effectively with the people right in front of us—our colleagues, our managers, or our teams. What if that’s where the real work begins?

If you’re fed up with the futility of enduring change, it’s time to awaken to a new approach. To realize that each of us holds more power than we realize to lead a life we truly want and to lift up those we lead along the way. Because that’s where real change starts.

Consider this your invitation to tap into your true influence and awaken to your capacity to shape the world, beginning with yourself. This is the work of systems-thinking and transformational leadership, and it begins by showing up differently—in our lives, our work, and our relationships.

If not you… if not now? These are questions I’m responding to directly in my work. Next week, I’ll be launching a newsletter, Transform This!, specifically for people leaders seeking practical tools and transformational insights on how to lead yourself and co-create with others through complexity, uncertainty, and change in ways that allow everyone to thrive. If you’d like to join, you can sign up here.

The world needs your leadership now!

~ elan