Leadership isn't an exact science and is uniquely carried
out by each individual leader according to the leader's own
style, ethics, background and the situation.
This week while taking a walk in the snow and watching my
horses in the fog I couldn't help but think how often we
feel lost in the fog with no clear idea of what to do next
for our business or team. Just like my horse April, we
sometimes feel like hanging our head and doing
nothing..staying deep in the fog.
So today when in my quiet time the writer used (Psalms
46:10) "Be still, and know" it made sense to me. To get out
of our fog we need to be still. We can't hear the answers
to our leadership and business problems unless we slow down
and be still.
When April looked up from her field of fog and saw me, I
thought, we also need to look up, out of our own fog of
self absorption. When we only focus on ourselves and our
needs it's difficult to know what our followers need from
us. We need to look up and be observant to understand what
we need to do as a leader.
April wanted to be with me so she began to trudge through
the snow towards me. Just like April we need to be in
action. As we are in action and moving we'll begin to move
out of our fog and into resolution. But it's necessary to
be moving. We must be Taking the Reins of our own lives and
looking toward our team to know what they need from us as
leaders and our business to know our next steps!
Leadership is about action but this action may be in small
steps and small chunks. It is a mistake to think that your
actions have to be huge and overwhelming. Small chunks and
small steps will take you there in a more realistic
consistent fashion.
Being a successful leader is as much about whom you are as
what you do. It's necessary to look deeply into yourself
and evaluate what you find there. Ask yourself the why
questions that lead to personal growth.
Think of yourself as having three levels:
The conscious - where we process facts, analyze problems,
recognize our feelings, and show ourselves to the world. At
this level we're aware of our experiences while we are
experiencing them.
The subconscious - is where we store information and what
makes us react to a given set of circumstances, while
sometimes unaware why. In our subconscious we may remember
information we read, the mood of a piece of music, or how
it felt to do a flying lead change.
In order to get out of our fog to inspire others to follow
us or to know the right business direction for our
business, it's necessary to balance these two levels. Your
subconscious and conscious minds need to be in inner
harmony. Our mind and spirit govern our body.
Lastly our Spirit where we are driven to improve ourselves;
to love, trust, and make commitments. It includes the
attitudes that lead us to act as we do. In our spirit is
where we're touched by the beauty of a horse running in the
field or standing grazing in the pasture. Our Spirit is
where we are inspired to grow and become. It's in our
spirit that we learn from horses how to be a more effective
leader and person.
Leaders lift your head, look forward, and taking the reins,
began your journey out of the fog and into your future.
----------------------------------------------------
Jean Starling holds an MBA in International Business and is
an Author, Business Strategist and Executive Coach. Go to
http://www.leaderstakingthereins.com to get your Free
Leadership Home Study Course and learn how to be the leader
that people want to follow. Contact Jean at
mailto:jean@leaderstakingthereins.com .
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