By Marika Messager, CEO and Founder of ConsciousLeadership.org
Marika Messager, CEO and Founder of ConsciousLeadership.org
Many people know consciousness as applying only to one’s personal relationships and wellbeing, but this is also a new principle that many leaders have recognized to benefit teams and organizations. Moreover, this new paradigm of leadership is actually the path towards a sustainable and effective market leadership.
Organizations are now investing in training their leaders in this way which is not surprising as Conscious Leaders are seen to be more evolved, mature, and efficient compared to their counterparts who still believe in the “old-school” principle of leadership.
What is Conscious Leadership?
Conscious Leadership is a new paradigm where business is a force for good and good a force for business, that has supported leaders to make a lasting positive impact in the organizations they lead.
Personal Greatness Precedes Leadership Greatness. Your ability to lead depends on your capacity for self-awareness and self-leadership. Which is why elevating individual and organisational performance and innovation, begins with introspection and personal growth.
In today’s climate, individuals are always on, overburdened and disconnected from themselves. They long for a higher purpose, but the opportunity to change can appear overwhelming or unattainable.
Businesses and business leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to remain at the forefront of change by embracing a paradigm where we Elevate Humanity through business and elevate business through humanity.
Conscious Leadership is therefore a way of life, where one is aligned with one’s true Self and therefore embodies that truth in every dimension of one’s life. In that process, a conscious leader is self-aware, radically responsible, and focuses on forging a positive impact whilst building a culture/family/community of “WE” rather than a culture of “ME”.
How does Conscious Leadership allow you to lead authentically?
Conscious leaders have a developed understanding and acceptance of who they are. They are aware of their strengths and abilities, whilst being conscious of their weaknesses and limitations. Such leaders radiate transparency, honesty and integrity and therefore create a culture where each individual is able to show up fully and authentically too.
The workplace now moves from the old paradigm of domination, competition and hiding to a safe place of collaboration, cooperation, and co-creation.
As you become a Conscious Leader, you are consistently your authentic self. As a leader, being authentic means you are transparent and you support ethical behavior. You understand the value of other people’s ideas, being heard and considered in the crucial decisions being made in the organization.
Being a Conscious Leader also involves being present to one’s emotional truth. Emotional intelligence is a prerequisite to authenticity and emotional mastery. Being the master of your emotions is being aware of all your feelings, allowing yourself and giving yourself the space to feel your emotions through completion so that you can find your emotional truth and express it in a composed and constructive way.
Emotional mastery allows you to navigate difficult conversations safely, relate better to your team and thus bring more compassion and openness.
What is the impact of authenticity on employees?
As a Conscious Leader, you are a master of alignment. You embody your core values through every action and connection which allows you to be consistent in your interactions with your employees. This consistency supports your team in knowing that you are dependable and they can always count on your ethical decision whenever there may be a challenge or conflict in the workplace. This allows for psychological safety within your team.
Employees now seek connection. They want someone who can understand them and that they can relate to. This can be achieved by authentically showing up as your TRUE self.
A Conscious Leader values relationships as much as results. In order to be effective with your employees, the last thing you want to do is to remind them that this is what they are paid to do. You have to tap into what their intrinsic motivations are and more importantly BE HUMAN. This is what inspires and brings a team together. Employees are inspired by honest leaders who are willing to go into the trenches with them.
And lastly, a Conscious Leader sets long-term goals that are relevant to their values and vision. By being authentic you embody your purpose and you ardently share your vision, giving the opportunity to your team to contribute to a higher mission and forge a positive impact through their work. Employees will be more engaged and fulfilled in pursuit of the organization’s success.
As humans, we were made to grow and develop to find the best version of ourselves and to fulfill our life’s purpose. As one becomes a Conscious Leader and discovers his authentic self, he or she is transformed. The worldview shifts, personal relationships flourish, and the company culture changes.
About Author:
Marika Messager is the CEO and Founder of ConsciousLeadership.org, a conscious leader, visionary and change architect; unlocking the genius in the most successful business leaders in the UK and internationally, elevating individuals, businesses and the global community into a new paradigm of Conscious Leadership and positive impact.
