Modern Leadership is Like Driving — Constant Scanning is Required
Developing as a leader in this complex time is a complicated adventure! The old style of leadership was generally one-dimensional. Modern leadership style demands a more feminine approach that springs from greater self-awareness and being mindful of how your actions and reactions affect your community.
Modern Leadership — scan five views while “driving”
Leadership is like driving an actual car. Doesn’t it make you nervous when you’re in the car with a driver who never scans the road? When driving a car, you look ahead through the windshield while keeping an eye on the rear and side-view mirrors. Leaders today need to be scanning in all directions constantly as they lead. If not, they’re missing vital information that could drastically influence their direction.
If that’s not enough, many leaders need to add a new view — the ability to look at yourself in the mirror and know how you manifest your presence, seeing yourself as other people see you. Yes, growing as a leader means scanning all directions simultaneously!
The Modern Leadership Driving Exercise
Have you ever driven to a destination but can’t remember anything you’ve seen because you’re preoccupied? Try creating greater self-awareness while driving. This skill is easy, and you’ll be surprised by how it spills over into other areas of life. (If you don’t drive, apply this as you work at your desk or do any other task.)
- Intentionally shift the focus onto your body while you’re driving.
- Feel your sits bone connecting to the seat.
- Notice the way you’re holding yourself and how you’re gripping the steering wheel.
- Keep focused on the road but develop a “dual attention” to have a sense of self and the road ahead.
How will this exercise benefit your leadership? Try something similar while leading via a Zoom call or in person.
- Focus on your breath. Is it full or shallow? Are you breathing deeply into your gut?
- Focus on your body. Are your feet firmly planted, helping you feel grounded? Are your shoulders tense or loose? Is your face welcoming and curious or is it pushing people away?
- Notice how others are responding to you. Is it with openness or with tension?
- Notice how the collective team is responding to your presence within the group.
How you hold yourself in your body translates to the experience others have. Either you create safety and encourage risk-taking, or you hinder the group from moving forward. Developing this dual attention as the leader is critical to the group’s success.
Leading others requires a deep look at oneself. To transform our teams, families, and community, we must be ready to transform ourselves. When something changes, it has a ripple effect, changing everything it touches, whether we like it or not. We need the ability to pivot and change course to move through and forward in a healthy and resourceful way.
So, take a look in the mirror. What do you see? What are your strengths? How do you share those with those around you? Where can you expand your strengths? Where can you elevate your voice? How does your reflection change the view ahead, behind, or around you?
We create a greater sense of self as we relate with other people. We get instant feedback from how people react — do they like or not like what we say, how we say it, how we act, how we are, and so forth.
These are the kinds of discussions we’ll have in my Great Circle Community. I’m working on the finishing touches before I launch it. So, if you’re interested in joining a group of motivated women leaders, contact me and let me know you’re interested. I’m excited to share my ideas and to get your feedback!
Modern leadership is embodied leadership. When you practice embodiment, you value, motivate, and bring out the best in yourself and the people around you, which can leave a lasting impact. If you’d like to explore this further, download my free report, 10 Steps to an Embodied Practice.
Thank you for the photo Jack Delulio.