Leadership is (according to the GLOBE Study), “the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute to the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members”
Some people influence others because they have extremely well thought out and structured ideas; they know where they are going and they are able to express it so eloquently that you just want to go with them.
Some people are so welcoming, so enthusiastic about where they want to go, so passionate about where they want to go that, even if it’s not exactly clear where they are going, you want to participate and be part of it.
Others just look the part; they are fit, they move well, they are at one with their body without being muscle bound and they inspire us into action and a desire to push ourselves towards achievements beyond our dreams.
Some are calm and reflective, connecting easily and empathically with others, they say things like “you are the answer” or “the end is only the end” and they have deep values and beliefs that exude from their behaviours. They have a silent force and you want it to be with you.
There are even those who manage to integrate a subtle mix of head, heart, body & soul – our intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual dimensions and their associated energies
Physical energy is about “fuelling the fire”, it is about expanding energy through movement, nutrition and sleep in order to enhance stamina, vitality, alertness and recovery time. Physical energy is measured in terms of quantity from low to high
Emotional energy is about increasing connection and confidence in order to build constructive and healthy relationships. Physical energy is measured in terms of quality from unpleasant to pleasant.
Intellectual energy helps to concentrate on what matters most by increasing focus and awareness and providing appropriate focus and realistic optimism. Mental energy is measured in terms of focus of the energy from broad to narrow.
Spiritual energy provides connection to values & purpose by aligning personal and professional missions. It contributes to decision-making and priority-setting by helping individuals identify and clarify their values, purpose and mission. Spiritual energy is measured in terms of depth of the energy from shallow to deep.
“Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success”.
Swami Sivananda
Here are some ideas for waking up and energising each of the dimensions first thing in the morning:
Physical: when you get up do something physical outside or at least with access to fresh air; you don’t need to go for a 5 mile run or do 50 push ups, just take a slow walk, stretch your arms and legs and breathe deeply. You can do this in the garden, on the balcony, in the street or even just in front of an open window – you need to start “fuelling the fire”.
Emotional: Stop the negative thinking; focus on the positive, envision yourself with pep, focus on which hopes & dreams you want to realise today and the virtuous circles and liberating beliefs that will help you get there.
Intellectual: Sudoku’s are great for getting focus and concentration, even an easy one; it doesn’t need to be a level 4 or 5; better if it is simple and keeps your concentration – try doing a level 1 as fast as you can!
Spiritual: In an ideal situation 30 minutes of deep meditation would be great, but most of us don’t have that first thing in the morning. Find yourself somewhere quiet and just sit in silence for 5 minutes; don’t worry if the unsolved Sudoku pops into your head – but don’t try to solve it. Focusing on one of your essential values can be useful, but again try not to “think about the value”; just be aware that this value is essential for you.
I would suggest doing the above before turning on the TV / radio or taking a look at your agenda for the day – more wars, more destruction, more pollution and the realisation that you have a meeting with a difficult client come after the leadership wake up!!
Twenty minutes is not a lot and it’s certainly not sufficient to fully integrate the 4 dimensions and ensure that you are firing on all 4 cylinders, bit it’s a start and it’s starting the journey that counts.
If you are feeling fit, full of positive thoughts, focused on your key challenges and in touch with your values, deep beliefs and inner self you will probably come across as engaged and aligned.
If you would like to learn more about managing your energy, why not sign up for one of my webinars.
I help people to develop their interpersonal skills, usually within a leadership or teamwork context. If you are looking to develop your leadership, I might be able to help. I’ve been doing this for 35 years; roughly three and half thousand days of seminars, workshops, conferences, coaching, offsites, etc. – put back-to-back that makes almost ten “full” years.