When I am providing keynotes on leadership I often ask the audience (regardless of size or demographic) “Who Manages you Best?”. I often tease the audience by surmising that maybe their boss, life partner or best friend manages them best. Of course the answer is always the same. Whether I am on the West Coast, in Calgary or in Saskatoon the audience resoundingly states “ME OF COURSE”. So I ask the question “why do we think this is any different for our employees”. Why do we continue to try to manage other people?
Whether I am teaching the New World Leadership Series, Creating Positive Energy Workshop or coaching leaders individually I am always surprised at how much effort and time people spend trying to manage and lead others and how little they actually spend leading themselves.
How much time do you spend orchestrating and managing your children’s lives, elderly parents lives, your staff’s lives, your partners life, compared to your own life? Do you live an intentional and deliberate life focused on your core values and personal truth. Effective Organizational Leadership regardless of the level, can only be acheived through Personal Leadership.
What is personal Leadership? It is about becoming incredibly selfish; focusing on what is important to you; seeking complete alignment, balance and peace with yourself. When a leader can accomplish this majority of the time and catch themselves when they are out of alignment (adjust quickly) they can become incredibly effective. They know what they want; they seek organizations that align with their truth; they have an inner wisdom that becomes visible to others and they develop organic influence without even trying. This is true leadership and this is when a leader can truly become a professional leader that has significant positive impact on organizational effectiveness.
Effective Leaders go inside…go within and clearly know their truth, their purpose and core values. They understand the incredible importance of personal alignment. They don’t spend time pushing boulders up hills by trying to force their truth on others, including their children and direct reports. Instead they encourage everyone around them to seek the truth for themselves, to go inside… go within and, find their own truth.
Remember, each of us has the answers we need inside this includes our children and team members. Effective Leaders don’t provide answers to others but encourage others to find their own answers. Effective leaders trust the internal guidance system of those around them and know that when individuals rely on themselves and are encouraged to be intentional and deliberate in everything they do they are truly LEADING!
