When an Olympic athlete steps onto a field of play after years of rigorous training and refinement of their technical skills, it is their mindset– their inner game –that makes the difference between the glory of gold or the acceptance of silver. The ability of an elite athlete to focus, overcome limiting beliefs, and trust their ability to perform at the highest level differentiates them from the competition. When a business or community leader steps onto a professional field of play, it is their experience, education, and track record that earns them a prominent seat at the conference room table. However, when these competencies are paired with the influential qualities of consciousness, courage and compassion, a field of great possibility is created for both the leader and the organization’s stakeholders.
The challenges faced by business and community leaders today are greater than ever. The pace of change makes it harder to keep up and stay relevant, the complexities of operating a profitable business require more focus and strategic thinking to grow and scale, and the needs of our communities are more profound and daunting than ever before.
As leaders increase in competence, they become more effective at completing the tasks at hand. As they increase conscious self-awareness and act upon it, they become exponentially impactful and can more readily achieve the organization’s highest goals. Furthermore, the organization’s culture is transformed as its leaders become more mindful of the messages their actions, communications, and behaviors convey, as well as how others perceive those messages.
When you’re leading at your highest and best…
What are you doing?
Who are you being in the process?
What is the impact?
How to hone your inner game:
- Be intentional about what you want to accomplish, your mindset, and the quality of engagement you bring to your field of play.
- Make reflection a daily practice: Pause, reflect and assess. How did it go? What was created? What was the impact? What needs to be revisited?
- While in action, slow down, be present and notice: What’s needed? How am I being perceived? What needs to shift?
- Ask for feedback regularly and make the process of continuously giving and receiving feedback part of your organization’s culture.
- Courageously step out of old ways of being that are no longer serving you and consciously step into new ways of being that are empowering for you and the team you are leading.
Great leadership is connected to
the deepest part of ourselves.
It is about digging deeper and unearthing our best selves,
even if it’s uncomfortable at times.
Want to learn more about how honing your inner game can positively impact your leadership effectiveness? Take a moment to listen to my latest interview with Andrea Oliver at Hall Communications about the inner game of leadership.
Let’s grow together…