What is your stance?

The other day, I had an opportunity to witness a group of people taking small and big stances. They seamlessly wove together core values and principles. Their stance was to create, share, entertain, teach, and support a more significant cause than the task at hand. A clear stance is made up of your values and principles, essential for building a solid foundation. Whether your stance is in the service of others, raising children, developing your employees, having fun, or practicing inclusion — the clearer it is, the more significant your impact.  

When you have a clear and stable stance, you are not easily taken off course, compromised, rattled, pushed over, or distracted. Think for a moment about taking a physical stance, a baseball player up to bat, a martial artist in a defensive posture, or a dancer landing and moving elegantly. Each requires a clear, firm stance. Without a strong stance, there are no home runs, knockouts, or gravity-defying leaps.

The same can be said for taking a stand around your values and core beliefs. I had an opportunity to observe a group of children and their parents decoratively painting a bench for a domestic violence center. Here are a few of the stances I noticed people taking:

• The leader’s vision was clear: support an organization that provides shelter to women and children in distress while delivering an engaging and fun experience for children.
• Parents and organizers wanted the experience to be fun, creative, spontaneous, and rich in learning and personal development. The kids had lots of fun, supported an important cause, and finished a task to completion. They did this while working in cool to cold weather, outdoors on a windy day, and I did not hear a single child complain.
• Parents were there to support their children. They cleaned brushes, poured paint, helped as needed, and provided encouragement.
• The organizers led by example, remaining physically and mentally present the entire time. They provided the paint, brushes, tarps, and materials needed to get the job done. They poured paint, provided encouragement, and made sure that each child was included.  
• Organizers and parents took the position that the work is done when the bench is completed. The task was enthusiastically completed resulting in a beautifully painted bench that will undoubtedly bring much joy to other children.   

Taking a stance is not always about conflict, negotiation, or big decisions. Often, it’s about showing up with your core principles and values intact so that life’s joys can be fully experienced.   

Questions:

• When you are part of a group, what is your stance?
• Do you model commitment, follow-through, and support of others?
• Does your stance permit you to support others with a sense of altruism, curiosity, lightness, and generosity?

• Author: John Rodríguez, MA
• Website: JohnRodriguez4Change.com
• Email: jr@johnrodriguez4change.com