Passion: The Guiding Compass of Exceptional Leaders
A leader is a thought influencer who has the ability to effect change in the corporate culture through his or her actions, words, and decisions. The manner in which leaders handle day-to-day situations and interact with their colleagues and employees will determine if people will respond to their leadership in a transformative manner. That power of influence comes from an inner core of principles that must guide leaders daily. These principles enable them to be effective as change agents.
The 8 Ps of Exceptional Leadership Blog Series will introduce you to eight principles of leadership so you can begin influencing the corporate atmosphere.
THE 8 Ps of Exceptional Leadership Blog Series
PRINCIPLE#1: BE PASSIONATE
What It Means: Engage & Energize Others
Being a leader is a challenging, but rewarding position. It involves mastering the helm of a ship and ensuring that everyone onboard is moving on course toward the leader’s vision. The company is a crew of people who desire the best for its most precious asset: its clientele. It is the leader’s responsibility to create a vision that will address this desire. In order to keep the ship and crew on course, leaders must use the oars of opportunity to engage and energize everyone. They must follow the guiding compass of passion. Passion is at the heart of every exceptional leader. When a leader’s actions and decisions are motivated by passion, everyone in the organizational culture will feel its impact and be moved to action.
A Thought for Reflection
“Hopes and dreams create the springboard for sustained excellence.” ~Barbara Tolliver-Haskins
As a leader, you have a vision deep inside of you that is fueled by your passion. You have hopes and dreams that can only manifest through a plan of action. Before you develop and execute a plan of action, you must be able to communicate your passion.
How can you communicate your passion so that it energizes and engages others?
Your passion is the heart of your leadership. It defines who you are and becomes your personal brand. A life purpose statement is an essential key. It is that springboard that will guide you toward sustained excellence. Reflect on who you are as a leader. Brainstorm a list of words that describe you and your passion. Examine your choices carefully. Think of a statement consisting of 10-20 words that captures who you want to be and how you desire to be perceived. Use words from your list to draft several examples of this statement. Once you have all of the examples written on a sheet of paper, read through each one and choose the statement that really resonates with you.
The example you choose will become your mission statement.
Navigating the Course to the Next Principle
Now you have a good idea about the first principle of exceptional leadership. Before you can engage and energize others, you must have a sense of direction. You have already completed your first step by focusing on your mission statement. The next blog in this series will discuss how to make your vision clearer through commitment to purpose and tenacity in your life.
Need a plan of action to develop exceptional outcomes in your leadership or clarify those factors that may impede your personal brand? Executive Coaching Solutions will help you discover those unique talents and attributes that will enable you to rise to the top. Contact me today for an introductory consultation on how we can help you to be “all that you can be.”