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True leaders amongst change

September 6, 2023

True leaders amongst change offer a steady anchor point and consistent light in organisations. This is a rare quality, as often it is all too easy to align to the reactivity and complexity of how organisations are run.

The challenge is not to get caught up in this reactive pace or worse still, to ‘normalise’ it and make it your way of being.

With current external events impacting upon the amount of change we are experiencing, there is only one path that makes sense anymore and that is the path inwards. This means, it’s all about re-establishing an inner equanimity and steadiness from within.

With the lines blurred for many of us between work and home life, we are being asked to develop a consistency in all areas of our life. To remove the boxes we once boxed aspects of our lives into, and embrace the life we lead on all fronts as equal and one and the same. The consistent and steady quality of how we show up at work, at home and in community is one and the same and needed more than ever.

Qualities of true leaders

We require true leaders – and I am not specifically referring to ‘leaders’ in the hierarchical organisational sense of the word, but those who hold steady from an inner equilibrium.

They lead by presence, quality, integrity, accountability and from a foundation of love.

These new wave of leaders are you, I and anyone who is willing to bring their focus inwards, to build a steady center of knowing themselves from the inside out. They are true leaders who

  • do not get caught up or identified with their role or what they ‘do’.
  • hold space and a steady presence to stabilise unwieldy situations and ambiguity.
  • provide an anchor point for people to feel valued, safe and supported.
  • live self care and express that care to others

Cultivating the true leader within

We are all here to equally lead and to play our part. However the quality of how we lead needs to come from within. Following are nine simple tools to cultivate the true leader within.

Breathe your own breath

This is a 101 basic, but how often do you take your breath for granted? If we are not breathing our own breath we are often at the mercy of the pace and drama of what surrounds us. Take moments to tune into a quality of gentleness with your breath and to use this as a tool to reconnect.

Know yourself from the inside out

Take moments away from the stimulation, noise and the distractions of life to get to know yourself from your inner connection and stillness. Without knowing who you are from this quality is like moving through life without a rudder or compass to navigate life from.

Establish this as your known quality and point of stability

As you get to know yourself and refamiliarise with this quality of stillness, you have a point of reference to come back to if you find you lose yourself during the day. Be open to the continual deepening of this quality and point of stability to know yourself from.

Move through life with conscious presence

And no I am not talking about mindfulness! I am referring to whole body mindedness I am talking about the mind being in alignment to the body and being consciously present with the body and whatever is taking place on a momentary basis.

Learn to observe life vs absorbing life

The art of observation is a continual process that offers understanding, removes judgement, labelling of right or wrong and allows life to be seen at a much greater depth. It also allows you to not ‘take on’ what is taking place around you or to get caught in the slip streams of daily life dramas which are merely distractions to take you away from your center

Avoid identifying with what you ‘do’ or your ‘role’

We are so much more than our ‘role’, our qualifications, skills and abilities. What we do in our job is simply an expression of who we are – it does not define us! I have seen this many times before and particularly with leaders when their identity is caught up in ‘what they do’ as opposed to who they are at their essence.

Cultivate responsiveness over reaction

Being responsive to life and all that is unfolding is to live life from your center and to embrace all that is offered to you as constant growth and evolution. Reacting to life, situations, experiences and people offers opportunity to heal, learn and bring understanding to within yourself and your world around you.

Get to know your ‘awesome’

Know your awesome from the essence of who you are not what you do. Begin to recognise this awesome is equally the same in everyone else. Bring emphasis to supporting and validating your awesome to be seen and to support others in not holding back their awesome.

Appreciate

Appreciate the opportunity every day to learn, heal, grow and be enriched by learning more about you, people and the magic of life as a forever student.

Living Medicine offers Wellness Coaching, Wellness Programs, Wellness Retreats and Workplace Health to cultivate the true leader within.

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