Article contributed by James Cruickshank.
The ability to impact and positively touch others is the ultimate test of leadership. If that is true, then being in touch with yourself is paramount to becoming a great leader. It is interesting to note that most of the skills of leadership like planning, delegating, public speaking, creating strategy etc., are all outward focused and learned skills. Yet the most vital elements of leadership including vision, wisdom, insight and even inspiration, are internally focused and require personal experience and serious personal reflection to develop.
If you desire to lead, you must be in touch with yourself first and foremost. You must be comfortable in your own skin, confident about who you are and at ease with your ability to think and ponder. People often note the “quiet confidence” certain leaders project. That confidence is simply a reflection of an inner strength which has been strengthened and fortified through the internal exercises of mind and heart. They have developed the mental and emotional strength to not only lead themselves but to lead others. It is also interesting to note that many leaders who have fallen, through personal failures of integrity or judgment, refer to their losing touch with themselves as the beginning of their downfall.
The old saying, “it is lonely at the top” doesn’t necessarily have to do with being isolated from others, but does mean that leaders need time to themselves to think, feel, process and play out scenarios and above all, connect with themselves. Knowing who you really are as a leader is mission-critical. True leaders have great depth, as their own journey of discovery enables them to better understand the people they lead and work with. When you think deeply and emotionally you develop greater empathy and understanding along with a clearer view of how to best help and motivate others.
It is also often noted that leaders have great “gut instincts.” Again, it isn’t that they were born with a better ability to process information, but rather, having thought deeply and emotionally for longer periods of time, they have developed a massive reservoir of insight, experience and information which they can rapidly draw upon to help them make quick, pressure-filled decisions.
An out of touch leader will not lead very long. Some can mask it better and longer than others, but ultimately their being out of touch with themselves makes them unfit or unable to lift, lead or touch others.
If you truly desire to lead, get to know yourself first. Remember that the most important meetings you will ever sit in are the meetings you have with yourself! Take some time this weekend to get in touch and in tune with yourself so you can be better lead and more positively touch those around you.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
James Cruickshank is an Executive Director in the UK and is also on the Strategic Alliance Team in the US. His role on the Director Training Team in the UK means he is able to help and guide BNI Directors from across the many regions in Europe.
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Want to know more about how to get the most benefit from membership of BNI? Visit http://www.iLearningglobal.biz/james and hear from the Founder of BNI himself Dr Ivan Misner. On this site Dr Misner shares his experience gained over a period of 20 years on how to get the best from Networking and increase your flow of new business.
“To earn more you must learn more – and learn from the experts – You will never live long enough to learn it all by yourself – Brian Tracy (Faculty member at iLearningGlobal)
2 comments
I love this article! Having spent a year now studying Psychotherapy – I can totally relate to what the author is saying. I look forwards to learing more about iLearning and how we can benefit from the collective wisdom that is to be found in the programme.
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PS Yours is the first posting on the ‘new look’ site 🙂
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