You don’t have to be the owner of a company or in a management position to be a leader. There are a variety of notions and schools of thought when it comes to being labelled a great leader. So, what makes a successful leader?
Leadership skills have different modes of attention, focus on oneself, focus on others, and focus on the wider world. In the larger picture, leadership is influence and the effect leaders have. A new brand of successful leadership focuses on building a culture of we rather than me. Conscious leadership, as it’s called, involves building inner capabilities, focusing on others, and expanding your actions for the benefit of a larger lot.
Self-focus
A leader who focuses on himself creates self-awareness and self-control. By being self-aware, you shed your dual personality. You remain the same person to yourself and others. The process focuses on what others think of you. With self-control, you become courageous and learn to remain calm during setbacks. It allows you to pursue goals without distractions.
Influence -Focus on others
Exemplary leaders are good influencers, and this is an essential leadership skill. It doesn’t mean control, but to affect others. This affects their opinions, attitudes, behaviour, and choice. It is about capturing what motivates the team and using this insight to increase productivity and outcomes.
Look at an interesting example of influencer leadership- Leslie Sansone, a YouTuber. Her program, called Walk at Home, has inspired millions (3.54 million subscribers) across the world. She uses her videos to motivate others to start a fitness regime and spread the message of healthy living. Throughout her videos, you can see she encourages you to grab a friend or family member to start the program. Notably, she believes in building connections and affecting lives positively.
Successful leaders are true givers.
Leaders who focus on others are empathetic. They understand the perspective of another person. They can feel what another person feels and finally sense what someone else needs from them.
Leaders at BNI establish credibility with trust. By asking a simple question to yourself that “Am I someone who others can trust?”, and if the answer is “yes” you are committing yourself to others and your focus naturally gets inclined to others. This is the essence of conscious leadership and BNI’s core value Givers Gain ® resonates with it.
Leadership is not a One-man Show
In conscious leadership, a leader influences others to participate in collective goals. First, leaders seek input from them on decisions that would affect them individually or as a team. Second, they increase their influence on others by building connections. They seek to understand other’s needs and show commitment to what matters to them. They build greater influence on them as it comes out of genuine concern for their interests.
Conscious leaders have an abundance mindset. They think of the wider scope of influence and how to bring change in many people’s lives. With this mindset, leaders see every change as an opportunity and do not let crisis worry them. Successful leaders decide by considering the people they affect directly and indirectly and add value to leadership. We all know the saying “money is power”, but true power lies in leadership that affects lives, inspires, and moves humanity forward.
Visit a BNI chapter near you to find out how success follows our leaders. https://www.bni.com/get-invited
