Written by: Lena Thompson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We can all agree that some of the most important qualities of a leader are the ability to make decisions and have a vision. And while good leaders make great efforts to develop their teams, if they lack self-awareness and the ability to lead themselves first and foremost, they will always be pulled in different directions and are likely to make knee jerk decisions when under pressure.
Self-awareness is something that everyone is talking about, but what does it actually mean?
The way I see it, self-awareness is a blend of traits that make you more present, compassionate, open-minded and authentic.
It is easy to be open-minded and compassionate when things are going smoothly, but often, we face situations that are beyond our control and how we deal with them and how we chose to respond, determines how really self-aware we are.
In addition to keeping your own thoughts, feelings and emotions under control, as a leader, you have to deal with the thoughts, feelings and emotions of those who depend on you too. Recently, I was speaking to a client who used to manage a large team and she said that most of her time was spent trying to resolve conflicts, allocate resources and set goals for her team. She was pulled in all directions, working long hours, self-sabotaging her health and personal time.
Since leaving my corporate career in IT, I haven’t stopped investing in my personal development, which I believe is the key to a successful life. And by success, I do not only mean the amount of money, type of car or size of the house. For me, success is also about the inner freedom and living in integrity with who I am.
Over the past few years I have met many leaders who have achieved great success in all aspects of their lives, and noticed that they all exhibit these similar personality traits:
They don't micro-manage
They trust their instinct rather than always relying on rational thinking
They are great listeners
They are grounded into their vision and purpose
They are great communicators
They have clear personal and professional boundaries
They invest in developing themselves and their team
They never stop learning and growing
The old paradigm of leadership required quick decisions, having all the answers, command respect, be powerful and strong.
The new paradigm of leadership requires vulnerability, self-awareness, open-mindedness and the ability to self-lead. These type of leaders do not blame others when things go wrong, they recognise that problems start with them, and in order to inspire others to be better, they have to become better themselves first.
To be a great leader, we have to start leading from within and it is not always easy, as for years we have been focusing on seeing faults in others, blaming something or someone outside of us, instead of acknowledging that everything always starts with us. And if we want to stop self-sabotaging our time & health, inject more passion into our lives and build meaningful relationships at home and work, we have to start making changes from the inside out.
Here are the 3 steps you can take now towards becoming an authentic, new paradigm leader:
1. Create more space in your day- Take 5-minute breaks throughout your day to do nothing. Sit with your eyes closed in silence, go for a walk, journal, meditate. If you think you are too busy to do that, then take 10 minutes. Time is to be taken, if you don’t master time, it will master you.
2. Focus on the outcome- When dealing with a stressful situation, instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the result you want to achieve. There are many possibilities on how you can get to the outcome which your mind may not have thought of. Stay open and don't get too attached to how’s.
3. Don't be afraid to show your vulnerable side- Vulnerability is not weakness, it takes courage to be vulnerable. It makes you more relatable and when others can relate to you, they become more involved and invested.
Lena Thompson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lena Thompson is an award-winning Social Media marketer, NLP coach, Reiki Master, Human Design & Leadership Coach with a degree in BSC Computer Science.
In 2018 Lena left her corporate career after 15 years to find purpose, fulfilment and greater alignment with her destiny.
She is now coaching corporate employees, entrepreneurs, leaders and teams helping them to discover their highest potentials and make powerful decisions in business and in life.
Lena has co-authored Amazing Women of Influence book, published in Thriving Women magazine, spoke at live events in London and appeared in many podcasts.
