I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. -Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's timeless lyric is a powerful reminder that the journey of personal transformation begins within. In a constantly evolving world, each day presents us with a new opportunity to redefine our path. The process of looking in the mirror requires introspection and change. This is not merely a passive experience but a deliberate act of choosing who we want to become.
It's a Decision... It’s a Choice
At the heart of personal transformation and leadership is choice. We have a choice about the decisions we make. When we look in the mirror and reflect, we recognize the pivotal moments and decisions we’ve made that created the foundation of how we live, love, learn, and lead.
Every decision we make builds from our past and constructs our future. These choices shape our journey, influencing our destiny and the destiny of others, such as our family, friends, peers, and the people we lead.
When we choose to reflect and change, we embrace our commitment to growth and breaking our comfort zone. This means we embrace the vulnerability and the challenge required to change.
Every decision we make builds from our past and constructs our future. -Susan Robertson
Resilience and Change
In leadership and life, change and resilience are intertwined. They are the twin pillars supporting our growth, adaptation, security, joy, and inner peace. Embracing change demands the courage to leave our comfort zones and face the unfamiliar.
Life begins at the edge of our comfort zone. -Neale Donald Walsch
It takes resilience and a strong sense of one’s direction, vision, mission, and purpose to change and embrace change with open arms.
Within the heart of resilience is the power to withstand, adapt, and “make that change” by overcoming obstacles or setbacks. When we have resilience, we emerge from challenges stronger and hopefully wiser.
Resilience
The role of resilience in the context of change is indispensable. Resilient individuals are adept at managing the stress and unpredictability that change brings. Resilience isn't an inherent trait but a skill honed through experiences and introspection, arming us with the courage to face uncertainties and discover growth opportunities amidst adversity.
Acknowledging change's inevitability allows us to understand that it is our response to change that shapes our future. Susan Robertson
Resilient people and leaders maintain a positive outlook, perceiving challenges as opportunities for growth. Adopting this perspective enables us to navigate change gracefully, maintain our balance, and continually move toward our purpose.
Resilience is the choice to persevere, to find meaning in adversity, and to leverage life’s lessons. -Susan Robertson
To effectively welcome change, we start with the “man in the mirror.” Change means we foster inner flexibility, open-mindedness, and develop a growth mindset. This allows us to gain new knowledge, create new strategies, and remain agile to craft our destiny.
Leadership Impact
As an executive coach to C-Level leaders, I’ve learned that to obtain an executive-level role, it is inevitable that leaders must change their behaviors to transition from a high-performing leader to an executive. High-performing leaders and executives must have Business Intelligence (BiQ) and Intellectual Skills (IQ). However, there are three additional key capabilities that high-performing leaders must develop to become executive leaders.
To make the jump between being a high-performing leader to an executive requires a much deeper knowledge and skill base of:
Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and
Leadership Intelligence (LeQ) and
Learning Intelligence (LQ).
Reflecting on our personal history and our behavioral choices we’ve made is just one crucial step to personal and leadership change and transformation. Executives must be much more resilient and continually adapt and change. Most importantly, executive leaders have an inner purpose and are purpose-driven.
So choose…
If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. - Michael Jackson
Choice is the linchpin in our journey toward becoming a better leader and a better human being.
The choices we make—how we react to challenges, adapt to change, and learn and grow—shapes our path and influences those around us. Here are 4 steps and practices to help you transform and change.
Cultivate Self-Awareness
Begin by investing time in self-reflection. Understand how your personality and leadership style, emotional triggers, and behavior impact you, your life, and those around you. Recognize that every decision, no matter how small, impacts your journey and those you lead. Make choices that align with your values, goals, purpose, and the kind of leader you aspire to be.
Embrace Continuous Learning
Adopt a growth mindset and commit to lifelong learning. Focus on making decisions that encourage growth and personal and professional development. When you focus on inner growth, you foster curiosity. Bring this same mindset to those you lead. They will help you, and you will help them.
Develop Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Emotional intelligence is critical for self-fulfillment. While strong EQ builds influential leaders, continually developing self-regulation, empathy, and social skills and improving the ability to motivate others brings personal fulfillment.
Practice Mindfulness and Stress Management
Regularly evaluate the outcomes of your choices. Reflection allows you to learn from your decisions to make better choices in the future. Incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine to enhance focus, clarity, decision-making, meaning, and purpose.
Your Move…
Incorporating these principles and practices into your life and your leadership enhances your effectiveness and contributes to a more fulfilling life. Starting with the "man in the mirror" and focusing on personal transformation, we, as leaders, can inspire our teams, drive meaningful change, and achieve sustained inner fulfillment. The life and leadership journey is ongoing. Every step you take, every choice you make, moves you towards personal transformation and reverberates throughout your life and those you lead. Your move…
Susan Robertson, CEO and Author
For 35 years, Susan has worked with executive C-Level leaders, mentoring and coaching them and their teams. She is the author of REAL Leadership: Waken to Wisdom, The 4C Strategy to Executive and C-Level Success, and she is a contributing author to The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change
If you would like more information on:
Executive and career coaching: info@lcbgroup.com
Team Development and Coaching: info@lcbgroup.com