WW#001: Are You the Catalyst?

The three key components to creating business growth are having:-

  1. The Culture (building a coalition of the willing)
  2. The Capability (knowledge, attitude, skills, habits + capacity within the team)
  3. The Catalyst (individual who identifies the desired outcome & takes others with them).

Where any of these components are not optimised, it’s almost impossible to shift an organisation at all.

An effective Catalyst means you need less energy for change. Most energy is expelled trying to begin the shift. So, if we can be the catalyst in our organisation, we stand a greater chance to create a shift.

Here’s the thing. Catalysing change requires us to get out of our comfort zone and is often uncomfortable.This is because the ‘real magic’ happens just outside of our comfort zone (but not if we push too hard beyond, into to the panic zone!). To be an effective Catalyst, we need the capability to go where we’ve not been before and to think in new ways.

What’s A Catalyst Mindset?

Effective Catalysts are often multifaceted in their determination and their abilities. They are fundamentally able to connect with a vision of how the future might be. Some might individually drive things forward whilst others might have the ability to bring a group of people along with them.The most powerful are the ones that can do both!

Are you the Catalyst in your organisation?

What got us here, might not get us there. Luckily, everyone has the capacity to change who they are (personality isn’t permanent). Adopting the characteristics of a catalyst is achievable. It’s about recognising who you are now and where you need to evolve as a leader (it’s more about having a ‘to be’ list rather than a ‘to do’ list).

Often our strongest skill is our most overused skill. Starting to reflect on when is a good time to use these skills and traits and when we need to apply some different tools is an essential part of evolving as an effective Catalyst. What would have happened in the past if we had employed the polar opposite traits? Would that have supported a better outcome?

Becoming the Catalyst in your organisation is key to driving successful business growth. What will that journey look like for you?

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James Potten

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On a mission to democratise entrepreneurship by providing access to best practice, helping startups sustainably scale up.