"Mastering the context is about understanding your place in the world. You have to understand the state of the world around you in order to enact change within the world and within yourself."

"The first step for any leader who wants to create a culture that generates intellectual capital is to understand the context of the organizational world we're living in today."

—Warren Bennis

As leaders, we absolutely must understand the context of the organization at that moment and the place of that organization in the larger context in order to lead with impact.

In theater, we call the context…Read on.

In every part of my professional life, from actor to writer, from therapist and communication coach, I have had to practice the skill of putting myself firmly into a stranger’s shoes without judgement. I must see the world through their particular truths, stories, and experiences. When I find myself judging my character or client—if I just don’t like them, if I simply can’t put my own filters aside—then I can’t do the job. In fact, these are the characters and clients who have the most to teach me. It is a challenge of humility. And it is transformative.

This week, play with empathy by putting yourself without judgement into someone else’s shoes. Read on…