Revisiting 4 Qualities
Dear Readers,
How are you? Your feedback and responses continue to inspire me. It’s overwhelming to know that you are finding great value and learning through the 8-part series - ‘How to be a truly inspirational leader’. This is a lifelong process and all of us, as practitioners of inspiring leadership, keep evolving by the day. There is no perfect state. What is perfect is the process of getting there. As long as we are better today than yesterday and the day before, we are doing great. As long as we are aware of what we are not doing so well, we are doing great.
Demonstrating good leadership is not easy. Being a good leader even more so. It’s like being on a stage. Acting in real time. Being observed, judged, evaluated, and emulated. Without a chance for a retake. What happens in a moment, happens. It cannot be reversed or re-enacted.
Being aware of this can bring about a great sensitivity in the way we behave every moment.
In the last four weeks we have spoken about four qualities to be a truly inspirational leader.
Before we discuss the next ones, let’s dedicate this week to reflect on the first four qualities-
How are you being able to embrace and embody these qualities? What aspect of your behavior and your environment supports you to uphold these qualities? What disallows you from expressing them? How does this affect you and your stakeholders?
This week, I invite you to revise and reflect on these four qualities. Read them again. Make your own notes. Write back to me with your thoughts, ideas, and inputs. Let’s master these qualities before we move ahead. Leadership is not about the position or the title we hold, it is about the actions we take and the example we set. It needs practice and thus, let’s ensure we practice the previous qualities in our lives.
Let’s focus on one quality per day, along with using the self-reflection tool. Use the fifth working day of the week to express all four, if you get a chance.
At the end of this week, ask your peers, subordinates, and even your supervisor if they find any difference in your behavior. It is a risk worth taking.
Next week, we will move to the fifth quality required to become a truly inspirational leader.
Wish you a great week ahead!
You can leave your feedback, experiences and share your journey so far with the writer at @RajitaBagga and @ArtofLiving. You can also connect with her at rajita.kulkarni@gmail.com.
The writer is President, World Forum For Ethics in Business and Sri Sri University, Orissa (India). She is also a faculty with The Art of Living.
