Conscious leadership is bringing your whole self, with total awareness, to your role as a business leader.
Conscious leadership requires authenticity – to be a conscious leader you must be who you really are. Conscious leaders focus on the “we” rather than the “me” and focus on creating a culture of trust, care and positive influence.
Conscious leaders speak with integrity, lead with authenticity and hold themselves accountable. They listen with the intent to understand others, the wider context and the world around them. By contrast, unconscious leaders tend to be reactive, self-centred and let their ego run the show.
Self-awareness
Becoming self-aware is the key to becoming a conscious leader. You may already know your strengths and weaknesses but are you aware of your feelings, motives, biases or thoughts? Once you become more tuned into these, you can start to manage them. Conscious leaders ask themselves questions like “how can I do better?” “Where am I falling short?” Or “How can I bring more joy and positivity into my everyday life?”
Your Circle of Influence
It has often been said that we are the product of the five people that we most associate with. We are all individuals but our inner circle plays a huge role in who we are, our character and our integrity. Make a list of the five people you most associate with and note down some key points in relation to their attitudes, behaviour and character. Then, ask yourself if you feel satisfied being the average sum of those traits. If not, maybe it is time to restructure your inner circle of people who influence you the most.
Be Intentional
Conscious leaders succeed because they bring intention to everything they do. Say what you mean and don’t engage in negativity or gossip. Try not to take things personally – if someone has a problem with you, it is usually them projecting their own insecurities onto you. Don’t make assumptions and always do your best. If someone can do something better than you can, reach out and involve them – it is all part of being authentic.
