The Death of Leaders - 7 Strategies to Own Your Leadership Mindset
It doesn’t matter if you are leading a high profile company or simply working to achieve your goals - A leadership mindset is crucial for any success.
Let’s start by understanding the two forms of mindsets; Managers mindset and a Leaders Mindset.
Unfortunately, leaders are now a dying race. In today’s world, people tend to ‘manage’ their situations, try to manage their problems, manage others and relationships.
Managers today are too busy putting out fires, very few of them can locate the cause. Even the few that do find the cause, lack the resourcefulness to be able to execute the solution. This is also true in our personal lives.
Once the mindset of leaders is extinct, humanity's mental health will soon follow.
You do not need to be in a high position to be a leader, in fact, most leaders I know don’t have a high-profile role – they created one. I would like to repeat; It doesn’t matter if you are the CEO of a company, or simply working towards your dreams, a leadership mindset is crucial for any success.
You may even be thinking that you are unable to execute your passion due to someone else fault, or life circumstances. For example - “It’s the senior manager’s responsibility; it’s the climate of the industry; there isn’t enough cash flow; I don’t have enough time; No one will listen.”
This form of thinking is what we refer to as the ‘manager’s mindset’. This limiting mindset of people is what is causing the death of leaders, in both corporate and personal life.
When we think of inspirational leaders, we tend to think of the great ones – Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, to list a few. But what makes them great? Or even leaders? What makes them separate to today’s managers?
They did not have the resources, in fact, the circumstances and restrains I listed earlier (and much, much more) existed in their journey. However, they overcame all their challenges and won! Their victory is a side effect of the cause - they all had leadership mindsets.
So what is the mindset of leaders? Below are some strategies we embed into our leaders at Change Your Game;
1) Quit the blame game – Everything is your responsibility. Not everything that happens is your fault, but it is your responsibility. By taking responsibility, you take ownership of the problem. By taking ownership, you have the power to make the change the outcome.
2) Connect with your Emotional Intelligence – In other words, connect with your heart. Science has recently found there are 30 – 120 thousand neurones in your heart. Proving the ancient belief that there is intelligence that exists within your heart –your heart can think and feel. These heart neurones assist with empathy, patience, connection, ego-less wisdom and other emotions that are crucial for intelligence.
3) Know your purpose - Leaders know their purpose, they know why they exist. I am not referring to your position description or your role. I am referring to the calling that burns inside of you. If you keep ignoring it; your calling will burn everything around you, until you pay it attention.
4) Serve others– You do not need to be a leader to serve. But when you serve you become a leader!
5) Leaders are a part of a tribe - A tribe is a collection of people working towards a similar purpose. In organisations, these are your colleges, employers/employees and clients. In your personal life, its your networks, family and/or friends. Tribes always have a purpose, when the purpose is not consciously established it becomes directionless and over time -destructive.
Leaders need a tribe. It is often difficult to achieve any objective on your own. You don’t have to create a tribe; you can join one that represents your purpose.
“If you want to go fast, go alone – if you want to go far, go together”
– African proverb
6) Leaders create other leaders – Manages love the spotlight, sometimes take credit for other people work. They prefer to work with followers; that lack the passion & confidence to create solutions.
Leaders inspire their tribe to become leaders. Imagine the possibilities of standing shoulder to shoulder with a tribe of inspirational, compassionate leaders, working towards the same objective.
As a leader, it is your responsibility to transform followers into leaders; by building their confidence, passion, creating a purpose and putting them in the spotlight.
7) Leaders are resourceful – if a problem exists, so does the solution. “But what if my senior manager rejects my proposal?” Well, that’s part of the problem, your solution needs to include inspiring those around you to buy-in.
If you are getting resistance, then you need to understand their reasoning and provide a solution or further understanding. Your greatest resistor often will be your greatest ally, once inspired.
The purpose of Change Your Game is to bring the importance of leadership into the lives of individuals and organisations. We believe one of the leading causes of loneliness, insecurities, stress and mental health issues are due to the lack of leadership in our society. (I will go into this in another blog) Leaders inspire others; Leader forms a tribe.
When inspirational leaders surround you and your tribe gives you a sense of belonging – we create a movement that will change the direction of the ages.
To find out more, click on the link and request your 60 min Leadership Consultation Session now. Become a leader today.
