How to elevate your leadership by making a LeaderShift

What is a LeaderShift?

It is an overall shift that is generated as a natural consequence of leaders shifting SELF, and with that, their LIVES, and their IMPACT.

You may wonder why my model focuses on “LIFE” rather than just “Work.” – There are several reasons for this: First, life is a holistic phenomenon. We may try to artificially compartmentalize it into its different aspects when we analyze specific elements. However, it will always be one life, one entity. That is why it’s literally impossible to shift one single aspect of life without touching others. As soon as we shift one piece ever so slightly, other pieces are impacted by this shift, such as our well-being, our relationships, or our wealth. And second, when you shift SELF, this will – without exception – influence everything in and around you. Nothing is separate. Everything is connected.

Just as all leadership starts with SELF (we can only effectively and sustainably lead others when we master leading ourselves), the LeaderShift also starts with SELF.

A shift in SELF causes a domino effect.

Allow me to guide you through the process:

I.?SHIFT SELF – inner shift

1.?Mind

When you upgrade your mind or mindset to a self-empowering one, which includes a healthy self-image, self-esteem and self-belief, this will impact your vision of what you can create, the story you will write, and the legacy you will leave. You know that – whatever the circumstance – you have what it takes to address it. You will not see yourself as a victim, but as a conscious player in this game called life.

When pivoting toward a more empowering mindset, we always must consider our subconscious programming, as over 95% of our behavior is driven by it. We must free ourselves from disempowering or limiting conditioning so we can become the one in charge of our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.

2.?Heart

Your mindset is critical, without doubt. But the well-intentioned mind is most powerful and potent when it is led by the heart. Why? Because questions are always in the mind, while the answers are often in the heart… if we just listen to it.

We say someone has their “heart in the right place” when someone isn’t just magnanimous, but also able to make good decisions with regards to their generosity.

So, when we “shift the heart,” this means we give it the importance it should have in our lives, so we can unlock the treasures it holds for us, from love and compassion to courage and intuition.

Our heart’s strong magnetic field is what connects us to other people and the world around us. It attracts the right people and opportunities toward us. When we can achieve heart coherence, this also helps us reduce stress, sharpen our mental focus, and augment our resilience. (see HeartMath Institute).

3.?Energy

Energy is what the world consists of (in addition to its spiritual essence, evidently). Yet, we hardly talk about energy in business. This is surprising to me because energy fuels everything: Energy is omnipresent in our thoughts, our words, our body language, our actions,… and we continuously communicate on an energetic level with each other, whether we are aware of it or not. The purpose of optimizing our energy is to improve its quality (and sometimes also raise our level of energy, although the level of energy greatly depends on whether we emphasize a healthy lifestyle) so we can enhance our leadership presence, while raising our confidence when needed, like in negotiations, tough conversations, or other challenging situations.

II.?SHIFT LIFE – external shift

The inner shifts described under SELF will quickly lead to external shifts, some of which are automatic, and others require proactive participation.

1.?Career

Our career will be impacted. For example, our vision and career goals may be influenced by our mindset and the courage we find in our hearts. This will inspire us to take action that is aligned with our new goals. Our self-empowered mindset will encourage us to take charge of our career.

And because we show up more powerfully and with a compelling presence that is fueled by our inner shifts, it becomes easier for us to own and show our brilliance and the value we bring to the table in our jobs and as leaders. We feel more confident, and our perceived potential is growing, also in the eyes of decision-makers, those who have a say in our career.

2.?Relationships

Success is built on relationships, in all areas of our lives; our relationship with self and others. As a result of finetuning our mindset, heartset, and energy, it is now easier to both understand and accept ourselves, which also leads to easier understanding and accepting of others, and consequently, greater respect. Our emotional intelligence increases and the need for competition diminishes.

When we consciously and intentionally build relationships by focusing on authentic connection, using premium communication skills (such as Conversational Intelligence?) and other trust-building methods, this will surely pay off. Some benefits are the reduction of conflict (and the time spent on resolving it), smoother conversations and negotiations, and more effective inspiration of teams.

3.?Fulfillment

Because of all the above, we can more easily find greater fulfillment in our work and outside of it. We no longer strive for absurd concepts like work/life balance because we realize that work is part of life; and as the directors of our lives, it is in our hands to establish healthy boundaries, ensuring that the work we do is meaningful and aligned with our values, but also that the workload is not become too overwhelming at any time. This includes making our own well-being and that of our loved ones a priority.

Obtaining satisfaction and fulfillment from our work sometimes requires us to shift our focus away from pressure and stress, and toward the joy we can find in the work itself,… not just from a specific activity that may seem enjoyable to us, but also the impact it produces.

III.?SHIFT IMPACT – external shift

1.?Leadership

Being able to better lead ourselves intrinsically translates into superior leadership of others, and when we add up all the previously described shifts, they cannot but have a positive effect on our leadership, whether it’s in the workplace or somewhere else.

But of course, there is always more potential to further elevate our leadership and take it to new heights.

Maybe we decide to add specific skills (such as presentation skills) or we experiment with new practices for our team meetings, or we work on our leadership presence. Leveling up is always a superb option, in whichever way we’re looking to grow, and this will be reflected in our impact as leaders – on our team and other stakeholders.

2.?Team

When we shift, our team shifts. But our personal development is not the only way we can help our team evolve. There is a wide range of effective team-building practices we can apply. We must remember that to a large extent, the degree of cohesion, productive co-creation and engagement of our teams depends on us as team leaders.

As our team becomes more committed to excellence and to generating exceptional results, the impact it has on the overall division or organization increases as well.

3.?Culture

Culture is composed of paradigms, and it is a result of declared and practiced values, beliefs, and behaviors. It regulates the way in which the individuals in an organization interact and how they handle procedures and transactions.

Organizational cultures benefit from the ripple effect of exemplary behaviors of individuals and teams. Culture shifts usually require critical mass and clear direction from above, but when two or three leaders get together and make it their mission to improve the work environment within their teams, they start a wave that is capable of rippling out to others. Each of us can create momentum in this way; let’s not wait for others. Rather, let’s be the pioneers and bring others on board with us. The more leaders we can enlist for the purpose of making the workplace more humane and attractive, the easier it becomes to hire top talent into our teams, and the greater our impact and our chances to have a fulfilling career ourselves.

As you can see, when you as a leader initiate a LeaderShift in yourself, you truly tap into unlimited possibilities. The journey starts with self-discovery, which leads to heightened self-awareness and self-knowledge, which in turn will reflect on everything you touch through your work, how you show up, and who you are.

As leaders, we expect others to show us and contribute the best version of themselves. For this to happen, we must first do this ourselves; set the bar through our own example.

#leadershipdevelopment #leadershipskills #leadershipcoaching #leadershift