Leadership - How To Develop

As business leaders we are in business to make a profit; is it possible to do that and be socially responsible, respectful of our staff and their families, spend quality time with our spouses, children and friends, make a difference to the community in which we live and have fun doing it? The answer is yes, but like everything in life you need to work at it.

The secret lies in values-centred leadership. Values-centred leaders have three obligations:

a) serving their customers, colleagues and community;
b) performing that service in a way that doesn't harm people, their community or environment;
c) making money.

Becoming a values-centred leader is a seven-step process. Here it is.

1. Align Yourself to Others

The words may be different but the meaning is the same. I've heard it described as value to others and goodness. You cannot be a good business leader without humility and respect for others. Put self-interest and pride aside and align yourself to others. For example do you operate your business with an upside down organisational chart as shown in the diagram? In other words,as a leader how well do you serve?

How do you consistently support, encourage and add value to those above you in the diagram?

2. Know Yourself - Be Yourself

Understanding yourself is step two. Ask yourself what are my gifts. What do I really care most about?

Understanding your gifts, skills and values are the clues to finding the meaning in your life.

You will probably be surprised at how difficult these questions are to answer. That's because you haven't spent enough time thinking, specifically, about them.

What are the things in life you care deeply about? What are your gifts? Ask yourself these questions:

How would I like to be remembered?

What are my values, the things I care deeply about?

List the top five.

1) ....................................................................................................
2) ....................................................................................................
3) ....................................................................................................
4) ....................................................................................................
5) ....................................................................................................

View Partnercorp Values and Personal Drivers

What changes should you make business plan based on your values?

How could you better apply your values to your current business/job?

3. Envision Your Purpose/Destiny

We all have a purpose in life, something we were created to do. Your values are what call you to serve others. But how? The answer is to be found in understanding your gifts and aligning them with your values to find your purpose. The goal is to figure out how you can best serve your customers, colleagues and community and to serve best you must know what is unique about you.

What would the world be like without your contribution and particular gifts? The answer is your vision of your purpose. Be prepared for the fact that accepting your purpose may require abandoning a dream!

Values-centred leaders never exploit customers or colleagues, they serve them. Fulfilling your purpose, however, requires more than gifts and your vision ? if also requires courage. Ask yourself:

What have you been put on the earth to do? To be? To accomplish?

Given your special gifts, how would you best like to use them to serve others?

If you didn't exist, what would be missing from your community/business/culture?

How would your family be different, your community, your workplace?

Think back to an occasion when your purpose may have been pulling you in its direction, when you were considering doing what you thought you were born to do. What held you back?

4. Seek Advice

Everyone makes mistakes, which is why a values-centred leader never makes a decision without consulting their trusted group of advisers. How many do you have? To be successful you must be comfortable with, and learn from, your failures.

Write in your journal now: I don't have to do anything by myself!

Engage your own personal advisor(s)

Determine a strategy to make it happen:

How will you approach them?
When will you meet them?
What exactly do you want from them?

5. Venture Out

It's time to act. Build a creative strategy for every dimension of your life and business. Make sure it is aligned with your values and go for it. There are four steps:

Vision
Consultation with your advisor(s)
Create a plan
Take risks

Above all remember to be flexible, surprised and determined.

Review article Personal One Page Plan

6. Constantly Assess

Think of a time that you took a risk in your life maybe at work. What were the most difficult and creative parts of the risk? What boundaries/parameters did you set for yourself?

Do you have certain beliefs or values you never question?

Decide on a creative risk you will take in your work in the near future. Share this decision and your strategy with your personal advisory panel. Afterwards, ask yourself:

What was my goal?
Was the risk based on my vision?
Which of my key values did it express?
Which of my key values did I set aside or ignore? Why?
What worked and what didn't? Why?
What would I do differently next time?

Take another (and another) risk each time asking the same questions. How do your beliefs, values and the creative risks you took modify your vision?

7. Pass It On

It is our responsibility to our fellow human beings to be in a state of constant donation. To give freely at every opportunity. How many opportunities do you have? How many can you create? When we receive gifts, knowledge, goodness, extra time and profits we are obliged to pass them on or share them with others.

But remember there are two principles:

No-one has all the answers, we are all finding our way;
Teach what you have learned.

Our Personal Coaching Program will help you access your full potential Click Here for details or contact one of our Newcastle business consultants.

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