WEBVTT
00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:23.260
Leadership is shaped by the way we think, the decisions we make, and the courage we show when it matters most.
00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:35.019
I'm Sandra Elizabeth and this is the Leadership Collective, a space where we challenge old thinking, develop stronger leadership, and become more intentional about who we are becoming.
00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:48.299
And so today, as part of our Mindset Shift series, we are exploring what it means to change your circle and why the people around you can influence the leader you become.
00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:53.420
Your circle is shaping you even when you do not realize it.
00:00:53.899 --> 00:01:04.219
The people closest to you influence the conversations you have, the behavior you tolerate, the risks you take, and what you begin to believe is possible.
00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:08.859
They can strengthen your confidence or they can slowly weaken it.
00:01:09.099 --> 00:01:15.819
They can encourage your growth or repeatedly call you back to an outdated version of yourself.
00:01:16.539 --> 00:01:22.379
We often speak about changing our mindset as though it happens entirely within us.
00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:27.580
But sometimes the mindset shift also requires an environment shift.
00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:36.699
If you want to think differently, live differently, and move forward, you must pay attention to who is influencing your normal.
00:01:37.099 --> 00:01:55.979
So changing your circle does not mean becoming arrogant, does not mean abandoning people, it means becoming intentional about who has access, who has influence, and which relationships belong in which part of your life.
00:01:56.460 --> 00:01:58.939
Every circle has a culture.
00:01:59.259 --> 00:02:01.500
This is going to sound familiar.
00:02:01.740 --> 00:02:05.020
In one circle, complaining may be normal.
00:02:05.259 --> 00:02:08.300
In another, people look for solutions.
00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:12.379
In one circle, gossip is the main form of conversation.
00:02:12.699 --> 00:02:19.419
In another circle, people discuss ideas, growth, purpose, and opportunity.
00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:26.860
Remain around negativity long enough, and negativity begins to sound realistic.
00:02:27.180 --> 00:02:34.379
Stay close to people who criticize every new idea, and eventually you may stop sharing your ideas.
00:02:34.780 --> 00:02:41.099
Spend time with people who continually settle, and ambition may begin to look like pride.
00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:49.659
But when you spend time with people who are learning, building, and taking responsibility, their habits challenge your habits.
00:02:49.900 --> 00:02:53.420
Their courage reminds you that change is possible.
00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:59.980
This does not mean that successful people are perfect or that struggling people have no value.
00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:03.020
It means that attitudes are contagious.
00:03:03.260 --> 00:03:07.340
Fear can spread through a circle, but so can courage.
00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:11.340
Excuses can become normal, but so can discipline.
00:03:11.580 --> 00:03:16.460
So ask yourself, what has become normal in my circle?
00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:21.980
Tony Robbins uses a very simple but important phrase.
00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:24.540
Proximity is power.
00:03:25.180 --> 00:03:31.340
In other words, the people that you remain close to do more than keep you company.
00:03:31.580 --> 00:03:38.460
Over time, they influence your beliefs, they influence your habits, your standards, and your results.
00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:52.700
You may set a wonderful goal, but if everybody around you treats discipline as unnecessary, makes excuses normal, or mocks anyone who tries something new, maintaining that goal becomes much harder.
00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:58.379
When pressure comes, we often fall back to the standards of the environment around us.
00:03:58.700 --> 00:04:00.939
The opposite is also true.
00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:11.820
When you are around people who prepare, persevere, solve problems and take responsibility, those behaviors begin to feel normal.
00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:15.420
Their standard quietly challenges your standard.
00:04:15.820 --> 00:04:19.420
This is why a leader cannot focus only on goals.
00:04:19.659 --> 00:04:25.500
You must also examine the environment supporting or weakening those goals.
00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:32.139
So ask yourself, does my present environment reflect the future I say I want?
00:04:33.099 --> 00:04:36.620
You cannot blame your circle for every decision you make.
00:04:36.939 --> 00:04:47.659
Personal responsibility still matters, but wisdom means recognizing that your environment is never neutral, it is always reinforcing something.
00:04:48.699 --> 00:04:51.099
Now let's look beyond friendship.
00:04:51.259 --> 00:04:53.099
Let's look at influence.
00:04:53.899 --> 00:05:10.139
Your circle is not only made up of the people you call friends, it includes your family members, your colleagues, your church relationships, your business associates, your mentors, and people whose opinions carry weight in your decisions.
00:05:10.539 --> 00:05:13.500
Some people influence you because you love them.
00:05:13.899 --> 00:05:18.299
Others influence you because you fear disappointing them.
00:05:18.859 --> 00:05:22.379
Some influence you because they have money.
00:05:22.620 --> 00:05:25.579
Some influence you because they hold a title.
00:05:25.819 --> 00:05:30.379
Others influence you simply because they have known you for a long time.
00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:33.099
So influence is not always loud.
00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:35.979
Sometimes it appears as hesitation.
00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:38.620
You receive an opportunity.
00:05:38.859 --> 00:05:43.979
But before deciding, you imagine what a particular person will say.
00:05:44.299 --> 00:05:48.539
You want to begin something new, but you already hear their criticism.
00:05:48.779 --> 00:05:55.099
You decide against a healthy boundary because you know someone will accuse you of changing.
00:05:55.419 --> 00:06:02.779
That person may not be physically present, yet their voice is still making decisions in your life.
00:06:03.099 --> 00:06:08.699
There may be people that are in your circle that will call you every day.
00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:17.019
Their conversation is about your career, your spouse, your children, and where they want to see you.
00:06:17.659 --> 00:06:23.739
When you fall into that trap, you will lose your career and you will lose your family.
00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:28.859
So be careful of who you invite into your circle.
00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:32.060
They take advantage of the situation.
00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:44.699
So changing your circle therefore begins with identifying who influences your thinking and whether that influence is healthy, whether that influence has other intentions.
00:06:45.979 --> 00:06:48.139
Let's talk about familiarity.
00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:51.739
Familiarity is not the same as alignment.
00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:56.139
Some people remain close simply because they have always been there.
00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:03.659
You grew up together, you attended school together, you worked in the same organization or you belong to the same church.
00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:07.339
You have years of memories and shared experiences.
00:07:07.819 --> 00:07:12.379
History has value, but history alone does not create alignment.
00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:20.060
You can honor what a relationship once meant without pretending it still belongs in your inner circle.
00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:26.219
You can appreciate the past without giving someone unlimited access to your present.
00:07:26.539 --> 00:07:28.939
Not every relationship has to end.
00:07:29.099 --> 00:07:31.579
Sometimes it needs a new position.
00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:35.739
Someone may move from your inner circle to your wider community.
00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:39.500
A daily relationship may become occasional.
00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:45.259
A person you care about may no longer be the person from whom you seek advice.
00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:51.259
Changing a relationship's position does not mean hatred, it may mean wisdom.
00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:55.180
Some people are connected to your old identity.
00:07:55.739 --> 00:07:59.899
There are people who know your history but cannot recognize your growth.
00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:03.739
When you try something new, they remind you of an old failure.
00:08:03.979 --> 00:08:07.979
When you speak with confidence, they remember when you were quiet.
00:08:08.299 --> 00:08:11.659
When you establish a boundary, they say you have changed.
00:08:12.299 --> 00:08:13.899
Sometimes they are correct.
00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:15.339
You have changed.
00:08:15.659 --> 00:08:17.500
Growth is change.
00:08:18.299 --> 00:08:24.139
The difficulty is that your growth may disturb the role they expected you to continue playing.
00:08:24.779 --> 00:08:28.299
Perhaps they were more comfortable when you always agreed.
00:08:28.539 --> 00:08:31.659
Perhaps they preferred you when you never said no.
00:08:32.060 --> 00:08:36.940
Maybe they benefited from the old version of you who doubted yourself.
00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:47.259
In the Penguin Club, a book that I wrote, I write about becoming so concerned about fitting in that you can forget who you really are.
00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:54.379
The club represents familiar thinking, crowd safety, and the pressure to remain predictable.
00:08:55.019 --> 00:09:01.019
Some people are ready to resign or leave your circle because they're not happy in the circle.
00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:09.820
Suddenly they find a challenge or a problem in the circle and then they decide, no, I cannot resign because the circle needs my help.
00:09:10.060 --> 00:09:16.700
What help can that member give if they have always been operating with a penguin mentality?
00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:20.139
Then you get another who is in a totally different field.
00:09:20.300 --> 00:09:26.460
He is an HR consultant and stays because he wants to be the next leader or the CEO or the pastor.
00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:29.420
He has no experience and no qualification.
00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:33.820
Would you still want this unstable person in your circle?
00:09:34.060 --> 00:09:38.940
Then you get another who is so weak that he can never challenge something that is wrong.
00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:42.540
Instead, he will go with the flow so that he can benefit.
00:09:42.940 --> 00:09:48.700
They see personal gain in the situation and then they remain in the circle.
00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:53.740
That's the person you should never have had in your circle in the first place.
00:09:54.300 --> 00:10:05.580
Leaving the penguin mentality requires you to ask: Am I remaining loyal to this relationship or am I remaining loyal to an outdated version of myself?
00:10:05.900 --> 00:10:09.580
You are allowed to grow beyond old expectations.
00:10:10.780 --> 00:10:14.620
A healthy circle is not a comfortable echo chamber.
00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:20.139
Changing your circle does not mean gathering people who agree with everything you say.
00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:28.139
That would simply create another penguin club, a circle of yes people who protect your comfort instead of telling you the truth.
00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:31.820
A healthy friend can disagree without disrespecting you.
00:10:32.060 --> 00:10:36.460
A good mentor can correct you without even humiliating you.
00:10:36.780 --> 00:10:42.780
A trustworthy colleague can identify a blind spot without competing with you.
00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:48.780
The right circle will not always make you comfortable, but it should make honesty safe.
00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:53.580
So ask yourself, can people in this circle tell me the truth?
00:10:53.900 --> 00:10:58.300
Can I express a different opinion without being punished or rejected?
00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:02.300
Do we celebrate one another or secretly compete?
00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:07.580
Do our conversations produce clarity or constant confusion?
00:11:07.900 --> 00:11:12.620
Do we help one another grow or keep repeating the same problems?
00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:16.060
Do not remove every person who challenges you.
00:11:16.300 --> 00:11:24.860
Sometimes the person who respectfully challenges you is more valuable than the person who constantly praises you.
00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:28.860
So, what are the signs of an unhealthy circle?
00:11:29.180 --> 00:11:35.100
An unhealthy circle is not identified by one disagreement or one difficult season.
00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:37.580
Look for repeated patterns.
00:11:37.820 --> 00:11:44.220
Be careful when people continually belittle your goals or turn your dreams into jokes.
00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:48.300
Be careful when people carry private information to others.
00:11:48.540 --> 00:11:53.740
Be careful when those people contact you mainly when they need something.
00:11:53.980 --> 00:11:59.259
Be careful when people compete with your progress instead of celebrating it.
00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:04.780
Be careful when people encourage decisions that conflict with your values.
00:12:05.259 --> 00:12:11.980
Be careful when people keep you connected to gossip, to bitterness, and unnecessary drama.
00:12:12.379 --> 00:12:17.259
Be careful when people expect access but reject accountability.
00:12:17.660 --> 00:12:22.379
Be careful when people punish you whenever you establish a boundary.
00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:26.060
You do not need to label everyone as being toxic.
00:12:26.220 --> 00:12:30.860
You simply need to recognize what a relationship repeatedly produces.
00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:34.860
Some relationships produce peace, truth, and courage.
00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:39.580
Others continually produce anxiety, confusion, and self-doubt.
00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:46.139
So pay attention to the fruit because not everyone deserves the same access.
00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:53.580
You know, one of the strongest signs of maturity is understanding that kindness and access are different.
00:12:53.900 --> 00:12:57.900
You can be respectful without sharing every private detail.
00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:03.740
You can forgive without immediately returning them to the position they once occupied.
00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:09.340
You can love family members while limiting their influence over certain decisions.
00:13:09.660 --> 00:13:12.460
So access should match trust.
00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:20.300
The people closest to you should have demonstrated honesty, consistency, respect, and discretion.
00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:27.180
They should be able to hold your vulnerability without using it as conversation elsewhere.
00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:32.620
Your yes has value, your time has value, your private life has value.
00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:38.940
So stop giving everything to everyone simply because you fear appearing unkind.
00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:41.980
Boundaries do not say I am better than you.
00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:46.780
They say I am responsible for what I allow close to me.
00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:53.019
Build the circle you need, not only the circle you inherited.
00:13:53.660 --> 00:13:57.820
Many people spend years in a circle they inherited.
00:13:58.460 --> 00:14:08.379
You may love your lifelong friends, yet still need mentors, wise advisors, and people who understand the direction in which you are growing.
00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.700
No single person can meet every need.
00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:14.860
Your childhood friend may be loyal but unable to advise you on leadership.
00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:19.420
A family member may love you deeply but not understand your professional goals.
00:14:19.660 --> 00:14:24.379
A mentor may help you grow without being part of your private inner circle.
00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:28.620
This is why relationships serve different purposes.
00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:32.780
Build connections with people who stretch your thinking.
00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:38.460
Find someone whose character you respect, not only whose success you admire.
00:14:38.700 --> 00:14:46.460
Spend time around people who take responsibility, keep learning, and can celebrate others without feeling threatened.
00:14:47.180 --> 00:14:51.980
Do not be afraid to enter a room where you are not the most experienced person.
00:14:52.300 --> 00:14:56.700
Feeling slightly uncomfortable does not always mean you are in the wrong place.
00:14:57.259 --> 00:15:02.139
Sometimes it means you are finally in a place that can stretch you.
00:15:02.540 --> 00:15:12.300
Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx, is an example of someone who intentionally learned from mentors and people operating at a higher level.
00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:16.220
She did not wait until she felt she belonged in every room.
00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:26.940
She entered environments that could expand her thinking, then continued building relationships with other founders who could keep her both grounded and challenged.
00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:29.100
That is important for leaders.
00:15:29.340 --> 00:15:40.139
The circle does not only offer encouragement, it may also offer knowledge, introductions, perspectives, and opportunities you could not access alone.
00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:48.139
One honest conversation with an experienced person can sometimes save you years of avoidable mistakes.
00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:52.460
Never choose people only because they appear successful.
00:15:52.780 --> 00:15:57.500
Success without character can take you in the wrong direction faster.
00:15:57.740 --> 00:16:03.820
Look for wisdom, integrity, generosity, and accountability as well as achievement.
00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:09.660
Do not only ask who should I remove, also ask who is missing from my life.
00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:13.580
You may need a mentor, you may need friends who pray with you.
00:16:13.660 --> 00:16:17.100
You may need people who challenge you or understand you.
00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:23.019
Maybe you need to become the kind of honest and encouraging friend you hope to find.
00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:40.060
A strong circle can include different strengths, wise people who keep you learning, hardworking people who raise your standard, visionary people who help you think beyond limitations, and hopeful people who help you see possibility during difficulty.
00:16:40.300 --> 00:16:42.460
You do not need dozens of them.
00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:48.860
A few healthy, trustworthy relationships can transform the way you lead and live.
00:16:49.180 --> 00:16:55.019
Changing your circle is not only subtraction, it is also intentional addition.
00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:58.940
You have to understand seasonal relationships.
00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:01.660
Some relationships are for a season.
00:17:01.900 --> 00:17:08.059
A person may have helped you during an important chapter without being meant to walk through every chapter.
00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:13.099
When the relationship changes, it does not erase the good it once carried.
00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:21.500
Rockets need boosters to carry them off into the sky, but the boosters fall off at a certain point.
00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:24.940
They are not meant to go to the next level.
00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:27.900
They cannot handle the next altitude.
00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:38.059
We sometimes keep forcing expired relationships because we believe every meaningful connection must remain equally close forever.
00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:42.700
But healthy maturity allows us to be grateful without clinging.
00:17:42.860 --> 00:17:45.500
You can say that relationship mattered.
00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:50.460
I learned from it, I honor what it was, and I accept what it is now.
00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:52.940
So not every ending needs an argument.
00:17:53.100 --> 00:17:57.740
Some relationships fade because circumstances, priorities, and direction changes.
00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:00.220
Release them without bitterness.
00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:07.420
Now I want to get to the digital circle, which is an extension of your normal circle.
00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:10.220
The same wisdom should apply online.
00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:21.019
Facebook friends, followers, and online contents also influence what you see, what occupies your attention, and who has access to your life.
00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:24.940
Social media has blurred the meaning of the word friend.
00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:29.019
A genuine friend has some form of mutual relationship and trust.
00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:38.460
A follower may appreciate your books, your ministry, your organization, your professional work, or something else without knowing you personally.
00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:42.940
An audience watches what you choose to publish publicly.
00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:44.860
These are not the same.
00:18:45.100 --> 00:19:03.900
There is nothing wrong with having thousands of followers when you are building an audience for your message, but having thousands of unknown people on a personal friends list may give strangers unnecessary access to family photographs, personal changes, opinions, and private details.
00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:06.299
Visibility is not intimacy.
00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:08.380
Engagement is not trust.
00:19:08.620 --> 00:19:11.980
A friend request is not proof of relationship.
00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:15.100
Your digital space may also need cleaning.
00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:27.500
You can remove unknown contacts, unfollow accounts that continually feed negativity, restrict personal information, and block people who repeatedly violate boundaries.
00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:32.860
Like many of you, my social media accounts were showing thousands of friends.
00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:34.860
I did not know most of them.
00:19:35.100 --> 00:19:43.259
Some were added years ago, some were accepted without much thought, some no longer share the same values, direction, or season of my life.
00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:45.019
So I had to do a cleanup.
00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:51.500
Others thought I was being foolish to remove thousands of people, but I did it so that I could start over.
00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:55.180
So take time to clean your digital circle.
00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:56.940
Clean it with clarity.
00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:02.140
The exercise I have for you today is take a page and create four headings.
00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:04.140
Number one, inner circle.
00:20:04.620 --> 00:20:09.180
Who has earned deep trust and access to the private parts of your life?
00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:11.259
Number two, your growth circle.
00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:17.259
Who challenges, teachers, mentors, encourages, and holds you accountable?
00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:19.819
Number three, your wider circle.
00:20:20.620 --> 00:20:28.620
Which relatives, colleagues, neighbors, and longstanding contacts matter but do not require full access?
00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:30.940
And number four, the public audience.
00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:37.259
Who follows your work or social content without being part of your personal relationships?
00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:40.059
Now ask all these questions.
00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:45.900
Number one, who has influence over my decisions and have they earned it?
00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:51.340
Number two, which relationships support the person I am becoming?
00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:57.819
Number three, where am I staying close only because of history, guilt, or fear?
00:20:58.140 --> 00:21:01.660
Number four, who tells me the truth with respect?
00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:08.460
Number five, which relationship needs a conversation, a boundary, or a new position?
00:21:09.100 --> 00:21:13.100
Number six, who is missing from my growth circle?
00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:19.180
Number seven, which digital connections have more access than they should?
00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:25.259
And number eight, do my closest conversations raise my standards or lower them?
00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:35.100
Number nine, which room, group, class, or community could place me near people from whom I can learn?
00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:43.420
And finally, number ten, am I also contributing wisdom, courage, and support to the people around me?
00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:54.779
As I come to the closing of this podcast, I want to remind you today that your circle influences your thinking, your confidence, your standards, and your direction.
00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:58.140
So choose it carefully, very carefully.
00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:07.500
Do not confuse history with alignment, constant agreement with loyalty, or online numbers with genuine relationship.
00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:10.539
Some people will walk closely with you.
00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:13.740
Others will belong in a wider circle.
00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:17.019
Some relationships will change with the season.
00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:25.500
A few may need to end, and new people may need to enter your life to help you grow into your next chapter.
00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:30.140
Changing your circle is not about deciding that you are better than others.
00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:36.700
It is about becoming responsible for your influences, your boundaries, and your future.
00:22:37.340 --> 00:22:45.740
So build a circle where truth is safe, growth is encouraged, boundaries are respected, and your progress is not treated as a threat.
00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:48.860
You do not need thousands of people close to you.
00:22:49.100 --> 00:22:55.420
You need the right people in the right places, and you need the wisdom to know the difference.
00:22:56.220 --> 00:23:04.299
So as you move through this week, take an honest look at the people who have access to your life and influence over your decisions.
00:23:04.620 --> 00:23:07.259
Honor the relationships that strengthen you.
00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:16.059
Reposition the ones that no longer align with where you are going and make room for people who will challenge you to grow.
00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:23.900
The right circle will not simply applaud who you are today, it will help you become the leader you were created to be.
00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:26.779
Thank you for spending this time with me.
00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:33.420
If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may need to examine the circle around them.
00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:36.860
I'm Sandra Elizabeth, and this is the Leadership Collective.
00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:42.620
Keep growing, keep leading, and keep becoming the leader you were created to be.
00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:23.260
Leadership is shaped by the way we think, the decisions we make, and the courage we show when it matters most.
00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:35.019
I'm Sandra Elizabeth and this is the Leadership Collective, a space where we challenge old thinking, develop stronger leadership, and become more intentional about who we are becoming.
00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:48.299
And so today, as part of our Mindset Shift series, we are exploring what it means to change your circle and why the people around you can influence the leader you become.
00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:53.420
Your circle is shaping you even when you do not realize it.
00:00:53.899 --> 00:01:04.219
The people closest to you influence the conversations you have, the behavior you tolerate, the risks you take, and what you begin to believe is possible.
00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:08.859
They can strengthen your confidence or they can slowly weaken it.
00:01:09.099 --> 00:01:15.819
They can encourage your growth or repeatedly call you back to an outdated version of yourself.
00:01:16.539 --> 00:01:22.379
We often speak about changing our mindset as though it happens entirely within us.
00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:27.580
But sometimes the mindset shift also requires an environment shift.
00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:36.699
If you want to think differently, live differently, and move forward, you must pay attention to who is influencing your normal.
00:01:37.099 --> 00:01:55.979
So changing your circle does not mean becoming arrogant, does not mean abandoning people, it means becoming intentional about who has access, who has influence, and which relationships belong in which part of your life.
00:01:56.460 --> 00:01:58.939
Every circle has a culture.
00:01:59.259 --> 00:02:01.500
This is going to sound familiar.
00:02:01.740 --> 00:02:05.020
In one circle, complaining may be normal.
00:02:05.259 --> 00:02:08.300
In another, people look for solutions.
00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:12.379
In one circle, gossip is the main form of conversation.
00:02:12.699 --> 00:02:19.419
In another circle, people discuss ideas, growth, purpose, and opportunity.
00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:26.860
Remain around negativity long enough, and negativity begins to sound realistic.
00:02:27.180 --> 00:02:34.379
Stay close to people who criticize every new idea, and eventually you may stop sharing your ideas.
00:02:34.780 --> 00:02:41.099
Spend time with people who continually settle, and ambition may begin to look like pride.
00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:49.659
But when you spend time with people who are learning, building, and taking responsibility, their habits challenge your habits.
00:02:49.900 --> 00:02:53.420
Their courage reminds you that change is possible.
00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:59.980
This does not mean that successful people are perfect or that struggling people have no value.
00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:03.020
It means that attitudes are contagious.
00:03:03.260 --> 00:03:07.340
Fear can spread through a circle, but so can courage.
00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:11.340
Excuses can become normal, but so can discipline.
00:03:11.580 --> 00:03:16.460
So ask yourself, what has become normal in my circle?
00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:21.980
Tony Robbins uses a very simple but important phrase.
00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:24.540
Proximity is power.
00:03:25.180 --> 00:03:31.340
In other words, the people that you remain close to do more than keep you company.
00:03:31.580 --> 00:03:38.460
Over time, they influence your beliefs, they influence your habits, your standards, and your results.
00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:52.700
You may set a wonderful goal, but if everybody around you treats discipline as unnecessary, makes excuses normal, or mocks anyone who tries something new, maintaining that goal becomes much harder.
00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:58.379
When pressure comes, we often fall back to the standards of the environment around us.
00:03:58.700 --> 00:04:00.939
The opposite is also true.
00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:11.820
When you are around people who prepare, persevere, solve problems and take responsibility, those behaviors begin to feel normal.
00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:15.420
Their standard quietly challenges your standard.
00:04:15.820 --> 00:04:19.420
This is why a leader cannot focus only on goals.
00:04:19.659 --> 00:04:25.500
You must also examine the environment supporting or weakening those goals.
00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:32.139
So ask yourself, does my present environment reflect the future I say I want?
00:04:33.099 --> 00:04:36.620
You cannot blame your circle for every decision you make.
00:04:36.939 --> 00:04:47.659
Personal responsibility still matters, but wisdom means recognizing that your environment is never neutral, it is always reinforcing something.
00:04:48.699 --> 00:04:51.099
Now let's look beyond friendship.
00:04:51.259 --> 00:04:53.099
Let's look at influence.
00:04:53.899 --> 00:05:10.139
Your circle is not only made up of the people you call friends, it includes your family members, your colleagues, your church relationships, your business associates, your mentors, and people whose opinions carry weight in your decisions.
00:05:10.539 --> 00:05:13.500
Some people influence you because you love them.
00:05:13.899 --> 00:05:18.299
Others influence you because you fear disappointing them.
00:05:18.859 --> 00:05:22.379
Some influence you because they have money.
00:05:22.620 --> 00:05:25.579
Some influence you because they hold a title.
00:05:25.819 --> 00:05:30.379
Others influence you simply because they have known you for a long time.
00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:33.099
So influence is not always loud.
00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:35.979
Sometimes it appears as hesitation.
00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:38.620
You receive an opportunity.
00:05:38.859 --> 00:05:43.979
But before deciding, you imagine what a particular person will say.
00:05:44.299 --> 00:05:48.539
You want to begin something new, but you already hear their criticism.
00:05:48.779 --> 00:05:55.099
You decide against a healthy boundary because you know someone will accuse you of changing.
00:05:55.419 --> 00:06:02.779
That person may not be physically present, yet their voice is still making decisions in your life.
00:06:03.099 --> 00:06:08.699
There may be people that are in your circle that will call you every day.
00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:17.019
Their conversation is about your career, your spouse, your children, and where they want to see you.
00:06:17.659 --> 00:06:23.739
When you fall into that trap, you will lose your career and you will lose your family.
00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:28.859
So be careful of who you invite into your circle.
00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:32.060
They take advantage of the situation.
00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:44.699
So changing your circle therefore begins with identifying who influences your thinking and whether that influence is healthy, whether that influence has other intentions.
00:06:45.979 --> 00:06:48.139
Let's talk about familiarity.
00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:51.739
Familiarity is not the same as alignment.
00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:56.139
Some people remain close simply because they have always been there.
00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:03.659
You grew up together, you attended school together, you worked in the same organization or you belong to the same church.
00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:07.339
You have years of memories and shared experiences.
00:07:07.819 --> 00:07:12.379
History has value, but history alone does not create alignment.
00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:20.060
You can honor what a relationship once meant without pretending it still belongs in your inner circle.
00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:26.219
You can appreciate the past without giving someone unlimited access to your present.
00:07:26.539 --> 00:07:28.939
Not every relationship has to end.
00:07:29.099 --> 00:07:31.579
Sometimes it needs a new position.
00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:35.739
Someone may move from your inner circle to your wider community.
00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:39.500
A daily relationship may become occasional.
00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:45.259
A person you care about may no longer be the person from whom you seek advice.
00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:51.259
Changing a relationship's position does not mean hatred, it may mean wisdom.
00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:55.180
Some people are connected to your old identity.
00:07:55.739 --> 00:07:59.899
There are people who know your history but cannot recognize your growth.
00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:03.739
When you try something new, they remind you of an old failure.
00:08:03.979 --> 00:08:07.979
When you speak with confidence, they remember when you were quiet.
00:08:08.299 --> 00:08:11.659
When you establish a boundary, they say you have changed.
00:08:12.299 --> 00:08:13.899
Sometimes they are correct.
00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:15.339
You have changed.
00:08:15.659 --> 00:08:17.500
Growth is change.
00:08:18.299 --> 00:08:24.139
The difficulty is that your growth may disturb the role they expected you to continue playing.
00:08:24.779 --> 00:08:28.299
Perhaps they were more comfortable when you always agreed.
00:08:28.539 --> 00:08:31.659
Perhaps they preferred you when you never said no.
00:08:32.060 --> 00:08:36.940
Maybe they benefited from the old version of you who doubted yourself.
00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:47.259
In the Penguin Club, a book that I wrote, I write about becoming so concerned about fitting in that you can forget who you really are.
00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:54.379
The club represents familiar thinking, crowd safety, and the pressure to remain predictable.
00:08:55.019 --> 00:09:01.019
Some people are ready to resign or leave your circle because they're not happy in the circle.
00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:09.820
Suddenly they find a challenge or a problem in the circle and then they decide, no, I cannot resign because the circle needs my help.
00:09:10.060 --> 00:09:16.700
What help can that member give if they have always been operating with a penguin mentality?
00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:20.139
Then you get another who is in a totally different field.
00:09:20.300 --> 00:09:26.460
He is an HR consultant and stays because he wants to be the next leader or the CEO or the pastor.
00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:29.420
He has no experience and no qualification.
00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:33.820
Would you still want this unstable person in your circle?
00:09:34.060 --> 00:09:38.940
Then you get another who is so weak that he can never challenge something that is wrong.
00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:42.540
Instead, he will go with the flow so that he can benefit.
00:09:42.940 --> 00:09:48.700
They see personal gain in the situation and then they remain in the circle.
00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:53.740
That's the person you should never have had in your circle in the first place.
00:09:54.300 --> 00:10:05.580
Leaving the penguin mentality requires you to ask: Am I remaining loyal to this relationship or am I remaining loyal to an outdated version of myself?
00:10:05.900 --> 00:10:09.580
You are allowed to grow beyond old expectations.
00:10:10.780 --> 00:10:14.620
A healthy circle is not a comfortable echo chamber.
00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:20.139
Changing your circle does not mean gathering people who agree with everything you say.
00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:28.139
That would simply create another penguin club, a circle of yes people who protect your comfort instead of telling you the truth.
00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:31.820
A healthy friend can disagree without disrespecting you.
00:10:32.060 --> 00:10:36.460
A good mentor can correct you without even humiliating you.
00:10:36.780 --> 00:10:42.780
A trustworthy colleague can identify a blind spot without competing with you.
00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:48.780
The right circle will not always make you comfortable, but it should make honesty safe.
00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:53.580
So ask yourself, can people in this circle tell me the truth?
00:10:53.900 --> 00:10:58.300
Can I express a different opinion without being punished or rejected?
00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:02.300
Do we celebrate one another or secretly compete?
00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:07.580
Do our conversations produce clarity or constant confusion?
00:11:07.900 --> 00:11:12.620
Do we help one another grow or keep repeating the same problems?
00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:16.060
Do not remove every person who challenges you.
00:11:16.300 --> 00:11:24.860
Sometimes the person who respectfully challenges you is more valuable than the person who constantly praises you.
00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:28.860
So, what are the signs of an unhealthy circle?
00:11:29.180 --> 00:11:35.100
An unhealthy circle is not identified by one disagreement or one difficult season.
00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:37.580
Look for repeated patterns.
00:11:37.820 --> 00:11:44.220
Be careful when people continually belittle your goals or turn your dreams into jokes.
00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:48.300
Be careful when people carry private information to others.
00:11:48.540 --> 00:11:53.740
Be careful when those people contact you mainly when they need something.
00:11:53.980 --> 00:11:59.259
Be careful when people compete with your progress instead of celebrating it.
00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:04.780
Be careful when people encourage decisions that conflict with your values.
00:12:05.259 --> 00:12:11.980
Be careful when people keep you connected to gossip, to bitterness, and unnecessary drama.
00:12:12.379 --> 00:12:17.259
Be careful when people expect access but reject accountability.
00:12:17.660 --> 00:12:22.379
Be careful when people punish you whenever you establish a boundary.
00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:26.060
You do not need to label everyone as being toxic.
00:12:26.220 --> 00:12:30.860
You simply need to recognize what a relationship repeatedly produces.
00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:34.860
Some relationships produce peace, truth, and courage.
00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:39.580
Others continually produce anxiety, confusion, and self-doubt.
00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:46.139
So pay attention to the fruit because not everyone deserves the same access.
00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:53.580
You know, one of the strongest signs of maturity is understanding that kindness and access are different.
00:12:53.900 --> 00:12:57.900
You can be respectful without sharing every private detail.
00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:03.740
You can forgive without immediately returning them to the position they once occupied.
00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:09.340
You can love family members while limiting their influence over certain decisions.
00:13:09.660 --> 00:13:12.460
So access should match trust.
00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:20.300
The people closest to you should have demonstrated honesty, consistency, respect, and discretion.
00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:27.180
They should be able to hold your vulnerability without using it as conversation elsewhere.
00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:32.620
Your yes has value, your time has value, your private life has value.
00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:38.940
So stop giving everything to everyone simply because you fear appearing unkind.
00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:41.980
Boundaries do not say I am better than you.
00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:46.780
They say I am responsible for what I allow close to me.
00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:53.019
Build the circle you need, not only the circle you inherited.
00:13:53.660 --> 00:13:57.820
Many people spend years in a circle they inherited.
00:13:58.460 --> 00:14:08.379
You may love your lifelong friends, yet still need mentors, wise advisors, and people who understand the direction in which you are growing.
00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.700
No single person can meet every need.
00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:14.860
Your childhood friend may be loyal but unable to advise you on leadership.
00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:19.420
A family member may love you deeply but not understand your professional goals.
00:14:19.660 --> 00:14:24.379
A mentor may help you grow without being part of your private inner circle.
00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:28.620
This is why relationships serve different purposes.
00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:32.780
Build connections with people who stretch your thinking.
00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:38.460
Find someone whose character you respect, not only whose success you admire.
00:14:38.700 --> 00:14:46.460
Spend time around people who take responsibility, keep learning, and can celebrate others without feeling threatened.
00:14:47.180 --> 00:14:51.980
Do not be afraid to enter a room where you are not the most experienced person.
00:14:52.300 --> 00:14:56.700
Feeling slightly uncomfortable does not always mean you are in the wrong place.
00:14:57.259 --> 00:15:02.139
Sometimes it means you are finally in a place that can stretch you.
00:15:02.540 --> 00:15:12.300
Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx, is an example of someone who intentionally learned from mentors and people operating at a higher level.
00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:16.220
She did not wait until she felt she belonged in every room.
00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:26.940
She entered environments that could expand her thinking, then continued building relationships with other founders who could keep her both grounded and challenged.
00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:29.100
That is important for leaders.
00:15:29.340 --> 00:15:40.139
The circle does not only offer encouragement, it may also offer knowledge, introductions, perspectives, and opportunities you could not access alone.
00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:48.139
One honest conversation with an experienced person can sometimes save you years of avoidable mistakes.
00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:52.460
Never choose people only because they appear successful.
00:15:52.780 --> 00:15:57.500
Success without character can take you in the wrong direction faster.
00:15:57.740 --> 00:16:03.820
Look for wisdom, integrity, generosity, and accountability as well as achievement.
00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:09.660
Do not only ask who should I remove, also ask who is missing from my life.
00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:13.580
You may need a mentor, you may need friends who pray with you.
00:16:13.660 --> 00:16:17.100
You may need people who challenge you or understand you.
00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:23.019
Maybe you need to become the kind of honest and encouraging friend you hope to find.
00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:40.060
A strong circle can include different strengths, wise people who keep you learning, hardworking people who raise your standard, visionary people who help you think beyond limitations, and hopeful people who help you see possibility during difficulty.
00:16:40.300 --> 00:16:42.460
You do not need dozens of them.
00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:48.860
A few healthy, trustworthy relationships can transform the way you lead and live.
00:16:49.180 --> 00:16:55.019
Changing your circle is not only subtraction, it is also intentional addition.
00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:58.940
You have to understand seasonal relationships.
00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:01.660
Some relationships are for a season.
00:17:01.900 --> 00:17:08.059
A person may have helped you during an important chapter without being meant to walk through every chapter.
00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:13.099
When the relationship changes, it does not erase the good it once carried.
00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:21.500
Rockets need boosters to carry them off into the sky, but the boosters fall off at a certain point.
00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:24.940
They are not meant to go to the next level.
00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:27.900
They cannot handle the next altitude.
00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:38.059
We sometimes keep forcing expired relationships because we believe every meaningful connection must remain equally close forever.
00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:42.700
But healthy maturity allows us to be grateful without clinging.
00:17:42.860 --> 00:17:45.500
You can say that relationship mattered.
00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:50.460
I learned from it, I honor what it was, and I accept what it is now.
00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:52.940
So not every ending needs an argument.
00:17:53.100 --> 00:17:57.740
Some relationships fade because circumstances, priorities, and direction changes.
00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:00.220
Release them without bitterness.
00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:07.420
Now I want to get to the digital circle, which is an extension of your normal circle.
00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:10.220
The same wisdom should apply online.
00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:21.019
Facebook friends, followers, and online contents also influence what you see, what occupies your attention, and who has access to your life.
00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:24.940
Social media has blurred the meaning of the word friend.
00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:29.019
A genuine friend has some form of mutual relationship and trust.
00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:38.460
A follower may appreciate your books, your ministry, your organization, your professional work, or something else without knowing you personally.
00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:42.940
An audience watches what you choose to publish publicly.
00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:44.860
These are not the same.
00:18:45.100 --> 00:19:03.900
There is nothing wrong with having thousands of followers when you are building an audience for your message, but having thousands of unknown people on a personal friends list may give strangers unnecessary access to family photographs, personal changes, opinions, and private details.
00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:06.299
Visibility is not intimacy.
00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:08.380
Engagement is not trust.
00:19:08.620 --> 00:19:11.980
A friend request is not proof of relationship.
00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:15.100
Your digital space may also need cleaning.
00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:27.500
You can remove unknown contacts, unfollow accounts that continually feed negativity, restrict personal information, and block people who repeatedly violate boundaries.
00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:32.860
Like many of you, my social media accounts were showing thousands of friends.
00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:34.860
I did not know most of them.
00:19:35.100 --> 00:19:43.259
Some were added years ago, some were accepted without much thought, some no longer share the same values, direction, or season of my life.
00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:45.019
So I had to do a cleanup.
00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:51.500
Others thought I was being foolish to remove thousands of people, but I did it so that I could start over.
00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:55.180
So take time to clean your digital circle.
00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:56.940
Clean it with clarity.
00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:02.140
The exercise I have for you today is take a page and create four headings.
00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:04.140
Number one, inner circle.
00:20:04.620 --> 00:20:09.180
Who has earned deep trust and access to the private parts of your life?
00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:11.259
Number two, your growth circle.
00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:17.259
Who challenges, teachers, mentors, encourages, and holds you accountable?
00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:19.819
Number three, your wider circle.
00:20:20.620 --> 00:20:28.620
Which relatives, colleagues, neighbors, and longstanding contacts matter but do not require full access?
00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:30.940
And number four, the public audience.
00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:37.259
Who follows your work or social content without being part of your personal relationships?
00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:40.059
Now ask all these questions.
00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:45.900
Number one, who has influence over my decisions and have they earned it?
00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:51.340
Number two, which relationships support the person I am becoming?
00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:57.819
Number three, where am I staying close only because of history, guilt, or fear?
00:20:58.140 --> 00:21:01.660
Number four, who tells me the truth with respect?
00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:08.460
Number five, which relationship needs a conversation, a boundary, or a new position?
00:21:09.100 --> 00:21:13.100
Number six, who is missing from my growth circle?
00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:19.180
Number seven, which digital connections have more access than they should?
00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:25.259
And number eight, do my closest conversations raise my standards or lower them?
00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:35.100
Number nine, which room, group, class, or community could place me near people from whom I can learn?
00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:43.420
And finally, number ten, am I also contributing wisdom, courage, and support to the people around me?
00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:54.779
As I come to the closing of this podcast, I want to remind you today that your circle influences your thinking, your confidence, your standards, and your direction.
00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:58.140
So choose it carefully, very carefully.
00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:07.500
Do not confuse history with alignment, constant agreement with loyalty, or online numbers with genuine relationship.
00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:10.539
Some people will walk closely with you.
00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:13.740
Others will belong in a wider circle.
00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:17.019
Some relationships will change with the season.
00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:25.500
A few may need to end, and new people may need to enter your life to help you grow into your next chapter.
00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:30.140
Changing your circle is not about deciding that you are better than others.
00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:36.700
It is about becoming responsible for your influences, your boundaries, and your future.
00:22:37.340 --> 00:22:45.740
So build a circle where truth is safe, growth is encouraged, boundaries are respected, and your progress is not treated as a threat.
00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:48.860
You do not need thousands of people close to you.
00:22:49.100 --> 00:22:55.420
You need the right people in the right places, and you need the wisdom to know the difference.
00:22:56.220 --> 00:23:04.299
So as you move through this week, take an honest look at the people who have access to your life and influence over your decisions.
00:23:04.620 --> 00:23:07.259
Honor the relationships that strengthen you.
00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:16.059
Reposition the ones that no longer align with where you are going and make room for people who will challenge you to grow.
00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:23.900
The right circle will not simply applaud who you are today, it will help you become the leader you were created to be.
00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:26.779
Thank you for spending this time with me.
00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:33.420
If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may need to examine the circle around them.
00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:36.860
I'm Sandra Elizabeth, and this is the Leadership Collective.
00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:42.620
Keep growing, keep leading, and keep becoming the leader you were created to be.
