Seven keys to awaken the leader in you

Seven keys to awaken the leader in you

Psychology

We all have an intrinsic potential that enables us to achieve our goals and enables us to create sustainable change. You just have to discover and develop it

The RAE says that a leader (or a female leader) is that “person who directs or leads a political party, a social group or other collectivity.” As simple as that. But on a daily basis this word is surrounded by prejudices that lead to hiding or censoring the leader that we all carry inside, according to Mónica García, coach of El Factor Humano, who invites us to give a new perspective to this term, less linked to the business world and more related to well-being and personal development.

Some of the prejudices that lead to censor or hide the inner leader They have to do, according to the leadership coach, with believing themselves arrogant or conceited if they recognize the power they have to influence and others, however, they have to do with the difficulty of assuming the part of responsibility that they have in what happens. “Once we assume leadership or responsibility, it is no longer possible to blame others or circumstances for what happens, and taking that step requires courage,” says García.

Why don’t you see yourself as a leader?

Leadership, he explains, is the innate quality that every human being has and that leads him to “take command.” However, the expert assures us that we tend to give command to the environment or to those people we consider better than ourselves, “thus atrophying the leader we carry within and thus preventing us from exploiting their potential,” she reveals.

What is hidden behind that insecurity What leads us to hand over the controls to others can range from a lack of knowledge or experience, to the difficulty of assuming mistakes or managing failure, or it can be related to a negative perception of oneself. Other factors can be the lack of clarity in what is wanted, the difficulty to relate, the exaggerated self-demand, the limiting beliefs about what is possible or not and the fact of not feeling supported by those who we consider important, although the truth is that This argument of the coach of El Factor Humano, finds the key: “It is easier for us to trust them than we do, especially if we think that they will do better or that they have more skills, knowledge, experience and competences.” comments.

How to trust yourself

To neutralize these moments of insecurity it is important to learn to generate states of trust that are independent of the situation or the person Well, as Mónica García reveals, those moments have no more power than what we choose to give them. To understand it better, let’s look at this example. A negative opinion about my work does not have the same effect on me if it comes from a person I do not know as if it is from a colleague that I value very much. Thus, the effect that opinion has on me has more to do with the power that I give to one or the other. That is why the expert explains that one way to neutralize this effect is to give importance to what I think of my work instead of letting others value it exclusively.

«The key is that we do not put the Trust in what we do not control or in what we can lose, but in what we can control, such as the ability to adapt to new circumstances, learn new things and other resources that can help us gain security. Let’s say that it is preferable, for example, to put confidence in your ability to find a job than in having a job forever ”, argues the leadership coach.

Start by…

• Challenge yourself frequently and get used to the discomfort of stepping out into the unknown
• Be consistent between what you say you are going to do and what you do, because this way our word will have value before yourself
• Ask for help and recognize what you cannot do alone
• Act with integrity in what is important to you
• Give value to what you contribute in the different situations, places, projects and relationships of which you are part.
• Ask yourself what step you can take today that you didn’t take yesterday
• Show your most authentic part and stop to acknowledge the achievements of the past

Once we have laid the foundations, it is time to awaken the leader within us according to the seven keys proposed by the expert from El Factor Humano:

1. Get rid of your prejudice about the word “leader”

The first step is to accept that you are in charge of your life. As the coach explains, it is proven that we give more when we choose ourselves than when they demand it and that freedom is also the essence from which the inner leader takes responsibility for creating together with the environment what happens in his life.

2. Know and develop your gross inner potential

This GDP is nothing other than the combination of your internal resources or essence, the connection with your self that is not tangible, the focus where to direct attention and energy to take action.

3. Connect with the engine of your desires, illusions and aspirations

We need a reason to get going and act. Whether it is to give the best to a child or to leave a better world for the next generations or if it is simply to feel satisfaction with oneself. All are valid. The important thing is to know what triggers your desire and not lose sight of it.

4. Choose your contribution intentionally

Remember that the end result of what happens in your life is the sum of the external situation or circumstances and your response to them. If we are not in command, this response will occur automatically or reactively, but the interesting thing is to go from reactivity to an intentional response.

5. Put your emotion at your service

Emotion is the energy that allows you to create and destroy. When we are motivated, emotion keeps us on our feet, makes us creative and leads us to collaborate with others. But when apathy or reluctance is present, inaction and dissatisfaction can take over us.

6. And now put your mind at your service

Bring the focus to everything that supports you on the path to being you and living the life you want. Review and expand if necessary the framework where you operate, your beliefs and the stories that you tell yourself about what is possible and what is not, about life, society and others.

7. Living in command is a path, not a destination

Always being in charge can sound exhausting, and sometimes it is, but remember that we are surrounded by help. Becoming a benevolent leader with oneself, not indulgent, will be key so that, according to Mónica García, our own leadership is sustainable and satisfactory.