"Insist on yourself; never imitate... Every great man is unique."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

At the beginning of each of my Transformations in Leadership workshops, I ask participants to think of a leader that they admire and would like to emulate.

Each participant then shares with the group what it is about the chosen leader that makes him or her stand out. The interesting thing about the ensuing discussion is that these qualities are almost never about what leaders do, but rather WHO THEY ARE.

Some of the descriptions that repeatedly top the lists include “honest,” “authentic,” “sees the best in others and believes in them,” “has vision,” “inspires trust,” “communicates directly,” “not afraid to make mistakes,” “humble,” “connects with people, regardless of title or position,” “walks their talk,” “builds a strong team,” “develops others,” “shares credit,” and the list goes on.

I began my career teaching people classes on how to lead – on subjects like how to create and communicate a compelling vision, how to delegate, set goals, provide performance feedback, resolve conflict, etc.

What I have realized over the years is that the extraordinary leaders are not necessarily the ones who have mastered all these techniques. They are the ones who have the ability to speak to our hearts as well as our minds, and to awaken something in their people that lies dormant, waiting to emerge. They then nurture and focus it into the creation of something that makes the organization (or the world) a better place for everyone.

Great leaders learn to do this by first doing it for themselves. The rest they pick up along the way.

Stay tuned for part II of The Who of a Leader in my next blog…

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden

"Insist on yourself; never imitate... Every great man is unique."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leadership strategies, tools and techniques fall flat unless the people who employ them have strong personal foundations.

Extraordinary leaders have learned over the years who they are and they bring the best of themselves to whatever they are doing. Much of their wisdom has come from making mistakes and recovering from them in a way that allows others to benefit. They refuse to be something they are not and have the courage to take a stand. They care deeply about others, but are independent of the good opinion of others, and therefore are free to be themselves.

The best leaders bring out the best in their people. Often they see things in others before they are able to see it in themselves.

From this space, their interaction and communication is always with the person one is becoming – the strong, capable, smart, willing, and resilient contributor who then becomes instrumental in translating vision into reality.The extraordinary leader knows that anything less than this is an illusion.

Great leaders do not make their people great. They simply help others to see the possibilities and invite them to the table. They present us with a vision and a choice and create the space within which we can show up and grow.

The rest, of course, is always up to us.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden

Feel like there’s got to be more to being a leader than running from meeting to meeting, repeatedly fixing the same problems, and beating your head against a wall trying to get people and things to change?

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

~ Gandhi

We’ve all been to a lot of classes – whether on leadership or related subjects – where we sit passively and listen to someone teach us things from a workbook or a power point presentation. Some of these classes may have infused us with new ideas and inspirations, others may not have. Either way, the chief challenge is coming back to our daily work and implementing what we have learned.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leadership is about answering the call of Spirit to accomplish extraordinary things for, with, and through people. There are an abundance of tools, techniques, approaches and models out there on how to lead. But the essence of leadership is not in the domain of the intellect – it is in the heart.

We follow people not because of what they do, but because of who they are.

Even “proven methods” for leadership fall flat unless they are employed by an individual who is strongly connected to the animating force within them that gives form to the unique contribution of style, talents and passions they were born with.

The first test of a leader is to distinguish that which is hollow from that which has substance, that which is true from that which is false, and that which is real from that which is illusory. Extraordinary leaders endeavor to liberate something deep inside them which contains everything they need to bring to fruition their dreams and visions of bettering their organizations and the world around them.

To lead others, these leaders must first learn to lead themselves. Anything less would render the leader hollow, wooden and stiff. Attempts at imitation fall short. Leadership requires more than the latest techniques, a Harvard education, and even years of experience.

To truly lead, one must accept the ultimate odyssey and challenge – that of becoming REAL.

Stay tuned for more in The Spirit of a Leader: Part II.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

In my last post, I asserted to truly lead, one must accept the ultimate odyssey and challenge of becoming REAL. This requires that we get in touch with that which is real within ourselves.

The Spirit of a Leader grows from this source, which I will refer to as “animating genius.”

I believe each of us has animating genius. It is that which is divine within us, which carries all the seeds of our potential. It is pure and boundless, and connected to something bigger than ourselves. Because of this connection, animating genius is endlessly creative and innovative. It sees the best in people and situations and brings it out. It also sees possibilities that are hidden behind what others perceive as limitations, and is inspired by them. As a result, it is inspiring to others.

Our animating genius knows no fear and as a result takes things (including itself) lightly. It is tirelessly courageous, yet playful. It is also honest and speaks the truth plainly and directly without passing judgment.

Animating genius lives in the heart. It loves, appreciates, and uplifts. It feels a union with others, and is interested in the greatest good. It operates in the present and fully experiences and enjoys each moment.

I define real leaders as those whose animating genius longs to create something for the greatest good, which is ultimately accomplished with, for and through others. It has a keen ability to look around, see possibilities and utilize resources in a way that brings something into existence that benefits others, whether it is a family, a community, a non-profit organization, a corporation, or the world at large.

To accomplish this, leaders have the distinct charge of working with others in a way that brings out their best – that allows them to find the animating genius within themselves and apply it in service of accomplishing a common goal.

Stay tuned for my next post, The Leader’s Shadow.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden

“Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth.”

- Ludwig Borne (1786-1837)

In my last post, I shared my definition of a real leader as someone who’s animating genius longs to create something for the greatest good, which is ultimately accomplished with, for and through others. Animating genius was the term I used to refer to that core part of each of us that is divinely inspired and carries all the seeds of our potential.

That part of us which is true and limitless is always accompanied by a side that is illusory and defined by our experiences, judgments and beliefs about who we need to be or what we need to do to be successful. I will refer to this part of ourselves, for lack of a better term, as the shadow.

When we stand in the light we see clearly who and what we are. But when we look at our shadows we see also the projection of those things we carry along with us that are not truly integrated.

In contrast to our animating genius, which has within all that it needs to realize greatness, our shadow introduces and exaggerates limitation and deficiency. It believes that in order to be complete, it must prove something, acquire something, or change something. Being predominantly focused on lack, our shadow is centered in fear – mostly fear of losing some external source of gratification: control, influence, power, money status, approval, recognition, etc. This fear of loss is augmented by a scarcity mentality, which tells us that if someone wins (or gains something), we will lose (or get less of what we want.)

Our shadows don’t stop at seeing themselves as deficient and incomplete; they also recognize and call attention to this perceived deficiency in others. While animating genius sees and brings out the best in everyone and everything, our shadow often builds itself up by breaking others down and by differentiating itself from others, as opposed to seeing the ways in which it is inherently connected.

Before leaders can partner with their shadows to accomplish the greatest good, they must first become aware of and familiar with them.

In Part II of The Leader’s Shadow, we will explore additional aspects of the shadow and its implications for leadership.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden

“Nothing determines who we will become so much as those things we choose to ignore.”

- Sandor Minab

In my last post, we began to explore the part of each of us that accompanies, contrasts, and complements that part of us that is true and divinely inspired. We referred to this alternate side as the “shadow”. I asserted that the shadow is a projection of what we believe we need to do or be to achieve success and that it is focused on lack and motivated by fear.

In this post, we will continue to look at the influence this shadow has on our behavior so we can better understand how to utilize it to accomplish the greatest good.

In an effort to rise above the pack, our shadows would have us engaged in activities that allow us to prove ourselves, thereby gaining some shred of gratification, if only for a moment. In contrast to our animating genius, which would have us participating in and enjoying each moment without regret or worry, our shadow would rather we never relax and keeps us busily hopping from one activity to the next without really investing ourselves in anything.

While the animating genius lives in the heart, our shadow takes up residence in our heads. Being analytical, it sizes things up, does a quick risk analysis, and attempts to focus our attention on all the things we have to fear. It concerns itself with what can be seen, touched, tasted or heard – that which can be proven.

Rather than seeing possibilities as animating genius does, our shadows rush to the future based on the past, and as a result may never fully experience the present. As a result, the shadow has a way of short circuiting us from our animating genius, which is of such infinite power and potential that it cannot possibly be measured. Since animating genius is one thing we all have in common, this interference also inadvertently cuts us off from others as well.

For leaders, these shadows present a great challenge and magnificent opportunity.

In my next post, we will explore this concept in greater detail.

Unleash the Extraordinary!

Diane Bolden