Leadership

‘Management is doing thinghs right. Leadership is doing the right things!’ _Peter Drucker

Leadership begins with a process of self-knowledge. Without being able to lead ourselves, we will never be able to lead anyone. To do so, it is essential to begin the path of ‘know yourself’, aphorism inscribed in the Temple of Apollo in Delphi (Greece). And more important than the goals that a leader proposes to achieve, it is essential the action to go, with high awareness and step by step, all the way. To do so, it is essential to answer some pertinent questions: How long are you with yourself? How long do you spend watching yourself, understanding you and accepting you? How many times have you stopped to find out which way it should be? To lead oneself, you need to be aware of everything that occurs within us. This awareness will give a greater and better understanding of the questions for life: Who am I? What am I doing here and why? Where do I want to go? 

 

In a world in which ‘nothing is permanent except change’ (Heraclius) it is essential that a leader becomes permanently aware of the usual processes of the mind and its emotions and how they create, at every moment, (his) reality. Along the way, a leader must better understand the unconscious patterns and beliefs (limiting and/or potentiating their behavior) so that they can be integrated and allow a transformative effect within a framework of infinite possibilities. In this way, a Mindful Leader is endorsing the skills and competences indispensable to exercise his leadership: the purpose and the ability to be more attentive, and to pay full attention, to be able to decide with more options and with more awareness.

  1. Inspire others: a Mindful Leader must be inspiring and support all his collaborators so that they can find and live the deepest sense of the role and tasks they perform. A sense that transcends the mere mechanical and routine execution of tasks and functions. 
  2. Managing change: a Mindful Leader must be able to understand, manage and lead the need and urgency of change, aligning what we are doing with why we are doing it. 
  3. Maintaining efficiency and effectiveness: a Mindful Leader should be able to support and encourage the development of specific skills to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the activities developed within a framework of permanent strategic thinking. 
  4. Develop and lead people: a Mindful Leader should be able to lead by developing high levels of cohesion and collaboration among people, strengthening teamwork. 
  5. Giving: A Mindful Leader should be able to give himself and others everything that might be useful for the development of the company or organization. Give and lead by example.    
  6. Manage and relieve stress: a Mindful Leader should be able to be connected permanently, learning to manage and relieve stress from himself and thereby contributing to relieving the stress of all those he leads. 
  7. Taking care of yourself: a Mindful Leader must permanently take care of his state of mind and his body, maintaining a high level in their interpersonal relationships.
  1. Increased productivity, effectiveness and high performance. 
  2. Increased power of concentration, focus and results. 
  3. High balance, flexibility and openness in decision-making. 
  4. High level of resilience, and energetic in the face of challenges. 
  5. Greater ability to reconcile leadership with talent and creativity. 
  6. Greater capacity for innovation, cooperation and cohesion in teamwork. 
  7. Better emotional management, motivation and stress.

In companies and organizations that are constantly adapting to daily challenges and opportunities, the leader must have the necessary flexibility to act internally (employees and stakeholders) and externally (partners). With this constant challenge, the leader must always be able to act with the sense of vision and mission of the company and/or organization. Taking Daniel Goleman’s definition, emotional intelligence is defined as ‘the ability to recognize our emotions and those of others to do so, we can motivate ourselves, manage our emotions correctly and those that involve our interpersonal relationships.’ A leader must thus integrate the fundamental competences for the correct use of his emotional intelligence: self-awareness of his emotions, empathy, self-confidence, self-control and active listening ability. 

  1. Prepared to evaluate and be evaluated. 
  2. Ready to motivate. 
  3. Ready to be the agent of change. 
  4. Ready to define and manage results. 
  5. Ready to encourage action. 
  6. Ready to support tasks. 
  7. Ready to lead by example.
  1. Increased levels of empathy. 
  2. Improved communication skills. 
  3. Increased levels of trust and team help. 
  4. Increased flexibility and understanding of errors. 
  5. Focus on the capacity and potential of each person. 
  6. Decreased levels of confrontation, conflicts and discussions. 
  7. Increased proactivity, risk taking and results.
Leading in 3D is simply understanding that we are the combination of three fundamental elements: body, emotions and mind. These three dimensions, although common to all human beings, happen differently to each of us (we react differently taking into account the basis of each of the three elements). 
 
1. Body: Sensations 
2. Mind: Thoughts and language
3. Emotions: Feelings and emotional states
Leaders typically define or follow a vision and mission. That’s not enough. It is necessary to consider other dimensions that relate to: What is my purpose as a leader? What is the contribution we want with our leadership? What project do we serve and how does our leadership contribute to its implementation? But even more importantly, it is necessary to answer the fundamental question: What is the profound meaning of what we are leading? The combination of all elements of 3D Leadership, with the Purpose or sense of our leadership, allow us to get out of the autopilot of day-to-day management and reach a fourth dimension. If we know why and what we do what we are doing, we are always contributing to a different and outstanding project. Instead of building any building we are committed to building a cathedral!
In addition to defining the vision, mission and purpose we want for the company and/or organization, one of the fundamental responsibilities of the leader should be the definition of the values and principles that should guide the behavior of all employees. The Statement of Values may be referred to as general principles or code of ethics or conduct. A mindful leader is aware of his own Values and works based on them. Only in this way, you can lead through Values and maintain an integral coherence in the company and/or organization between what you think, what you feel, what you say and what you do. Only in this way is it possible to raise the levels of awareness of a company and/or organization so that it can make a difference in a global and increasingly competitive market, ensuring that it moves from the basic level of survival to the highest level of service to the community.
Depending on the level of Consciousness of the company we have the level of leadership. At levels 1, 2 and 3, leaders are focused on their own interests, having as a way to lead: exploitation, overcontrol, negative internal competition, power games, confusion of processes and flows, complacency, rigid hierarchy and discrimination. From level 4, the values are uniquely positive. At level 7 we have the company and/or organization that makes the difference in the market and in the community, being recognized and highly esteemed. 
 
Level 1: Survival. Company growth and financial stability values > physical need.
Level 2: Relationships. Quality values of relationships with fluid communication > need for emotions. 
Level 3: Self-esteem. High yield values and self-esteem > need for successes and differentiation. 
Level 4: Transformation. Values of renewal and continuous learning > need for evolution and learning. 
Level 5: Internal cohesion. Values of building an internal community > acts for the common good. 
Level 6: Contribution. Values of alliances and strategic partnerships > acts for the common good. 
Level 7: Service. Values of vision and vocation of service > acts for the greater good.