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How2-Change Words of Wisdom with Amaranatho

Podcast Summary: Words of Wisdom with Amaranatho - Trust Yourself!

The Compass Within: Trusting Your Inner Guidance for Leadership and Change

In the intricate world of leadership and change, an abundance of strategies, rules, and frameworks promise to chart a course to success. Yet, amidst this complexity, one of the most profound tools a leader can rely on is often overlooked: their internal compass. This compass isn’t a physical device, but an innate sense of direction rooted in intuition, experience, and the deep trust one places in oneself and life.

Learning to Trust in Uncertain Waters

Imagine standing at a crossroads, surrounded by signposts pointing in every direction. Some paths appear well-trodden and safe, while others are obscured by uncertainty. Rules, advice, and guidelines offer clarity but can also trap decision-makers in analysis paralysis. This is where the compass within becomes invaluable.

Amaranatho, a former Buddhist monk turned leadership coach, embodies this principle. Reflecting on his journey from monastic life to leadership coaching, he shared an essential lesson from his early training: trust yourself. It was advice his teacher, the Abbot, repeated time and again, especially when faced with the strict and daunting rules of monastic living.

Initially, this advice seemed contradictory. Rules were meant to be followed to the letter, yet the encouragement to “trust yourself” suggested a flexibility that was difficult to reconcile. Over time, Amaranatho realised that true growth came from interpreting these rules with awareness and adaptability, a process requiring deep self-trust and presence.

Beyond Rules: Embracing Adaptive Leadership

Leadership often calls for navigating complex, ever-changing situations where no amount of external guidance can replace the need for intuition. This adaptability is not about dismissing rules or structure but integrating them with an awareness that comes from within. The compass within enables leaders to pause, reflect, and make decisions rooted in both wisdom and the reality of the present moment.

For Amaranatho, this meant moving from simply trusting himself to trusting life itself. Life, with its unpredictability and challenges, became the proving ground for learning to trust. The true art of leadership lies in balancing external structures and the internal compass that helps interpret and act on them effectively.

The Power of Pause: Connecting to Your Compass

In a fast-paced world where leaders are pushed to act quickly, the simple act of pausing can be revolutionary. Pausing allows leaders to connect with their internal compass, enabling sense-making and the discovery of deeper meaning and purpose. It’s in these moments of stillness that clarity emerges, and leaders can move forward with confidence and authenticity.

The power of the pause also unlocks relational awareness, understanding how decisions impact others and navigating team dynamics. By fostering this level of self-reflection and awareness, leaders develop a stronger sense of trust in their decision-making and inspire the same trust in those they lead.

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Applying This to Organisational Change

In M&A, integration, and business transformation, the compass within can make the difference between success and stagnation. When faced with the unknowns of merging cultures, aligning disparate teams, or redefining strategic goals, leaders must blend external expertise with internal trust.

Like Amaranatho, we aim to support clients with the power of pause. Our How2-Change Reality Check® approach moves beyond surface-level insights, equipping leaders with tools that uncover root causes and potential. We bridge the gap between strategy and execution, ensuring leaders aren’t just following a playbook but are empowered to trust their instincts, make sense of complexity, and adapt dynamically.

By embracing the compass within, leaders and teams become more resilient and capable of thriving in Business as UNusual, just as they can in Business as Usual. Trusting oneself and life isn’t just a practice for monks. It’s an essential skill for anyone facing the demands of leadership and change.

Conclusion: Leading with Purpose and Trust

The journey to finding and trusting your internal compass is continuous. It requires leaders to reflect, stay present, and adapt. Trusting oneself, combined with a deeper trust in life, fosters real growth and impactful leadership. When leaders can pause, listen, and act from this place of trust, they pave the way for organisations to navigate change with confidence and purpose.

Want to know a little more about Amaranatho? Watch this …