When is leadership most important? It’s when there’s a lack of direction. When things have been turned on their ear. When it’s scary and paralyzing.
Now, more than ever, we need good leadership. Things are tough, and they’re changing.
We need not just good, but great people. We need thought-leaders. Masters. Visionaries that can bring teams together to make things happen.
For me, three things help me become a great person so I can also be a great leader:
01. CONNECTION
To others that I can learn from, be honest with, and trust. To myself my inner wisdom, my intuition, my magic. To something greater than myself that gives me faith, hope, and a bigger vision.
Why have a connection?
So I’m not alone, too often I feel like I’m alone. There’s a safe space where I can hear myself think. There’s transformation to go to the next level, evolve, and grow.
Who to connect to?
Connect with peer groups, people who think like you and could be dealing with similar challenges. Also, connect with something greater. Maybe it’s God or nature, just make that effort with something greater than yourself. Ultimately, connect with yourself too.
How do we connect?
Make time
Be in nature
Be vulnerable
Make time means to fanatically schedule time for myself to check in, go for a walk, or tap into what's going on around me.
There is something about being in the mountains, going for a walk, fresh air, sunshine, the beauty of nature, or water; whatever it may be. There is something about doing those things and being surrounded by nature that helps people feel connected.
To be vulnerable is to have courage. That courage is being willing to ask myself great questions, to share with others, and to connect with others.
Why connect?
I don’t want to be alone. I want to go to the next level and evolve. I want to have that safe space to hear myself think.
02. CLARITY
On who matters most, what matters most, who I am, and why I’m here. It’s my family, my key team, my clients, and my closest people. It’s my core values and my determination of where I spend my time. It’s a deep-rooted understanding of where I stand and how I uniquely operate. It’s my big WHY - my life beyond the vine, my north star.
Why?
It’s to rise above the noise: You want to get above it all and not be caught in the day-to-day survival mode of fight or flight.
To see the vision: What are your next steps? What does your future look like? What are the possibilities? What are potential solutions? Asking yourself these questions gets the creativity, excitement, and inspiration going.
To build confidence: If I’m above it all and breathing through my nose instead of the short-breathed fight or flight motions, it’s a relief and it’s relaxing. I’m taking a second to ask myself what does this look like, what are the possibilities? If I’m stuck in the day to day then I'm working in my life and not working on my life and not really taking it all in.
How?
Fanatically schedule. That’s daily, weekly, quarterly, and annually; to act like iMatter and to know that the answers are in my head and in my heart. Ultimately to have a plan, schedule or routine that each day I’m checking in, and each week I’m checking in as well as quarterly and annually. What’s more important than tapping into the wisdom that is inside?
Know that the answers are within. You need to believe it and test it. It’s fun to ask yourself these questions and listen to them and share. If I know that the answers are inside and I'm fanatically scheduling and making time for that, it’s the greatest thing that I’m investing time in myself. I know what’s going on in my head and I know what’s going on in my heart. It’s a safe space to hear myself think while I’m sharing, whether it’s directly to someone or doing an audio and sending that to my wife or my leadership team.
The time is now. What am I waiting for? Why not make the choice to invest in the now and have that clarity. The time is now for me as an individual, for my business, for my family, and for the world. There’s a lot of crazy shit going on right now and as leaders, we need to have clarity and not be caught up in the fear. We need to focus on love and creativity.
Clarity is a blissful and inspirational gift. It is life. We as leaders need to tap into it now.
Enjoy your clarity and enjoy your life.
03. CONVICTION
This is my faith, my jump, my courage. It’s my plan, my system and structure to work the plan, and my ability to walk the talk.
What is it?
Firmly held belief
I’m not going to settle.
This is who I am and where I’m going
It’s a firmly held belief, to stand for something or a commitment.
It’s not settling and being imperturbable. I’m not settling or moving away from this and staying steadfast in the direction I want to go.
Being true to who I am, where I’m going, and how I’m going to get there. This is for me and my life and me as a leader in my business.
How do I exhibit/have conviction?
Clearly communicate
To repeat often
Enroll others
Clearly communicating is letting people know what your vision is, who you are, and where you’re going, sharing expectations of myself and others; while being open and honest about that with feedback. If I’m not doing something, I want feedback, and I’m going to give you feedback.
Repeat often. How many times does it take for a person to hear something for the first time? I’ve heard it’s seven times before they get it (and I’ve heard that seven times!). It’s not just me saying it seven times verbally. It’s a video, a book that says it, or when someone else says it. I don’t always hear it, especially if it’s from my boss, spouse, or parents. It’s important to hear it and share it often.
To have a conviction of something that’s inspiring and to share it often and with passion, while being clear on that. Enroll others by asking them what they think and what their role may be in it. If they don’t agree with it, that’s fine, because it’s still the direction I’m going in my life and with my business.
Conviction is a very important part of leadership and life.
THESE ARE THE 3 C'S: CONNECTION, CLARITY, AND CONVICTION
I’m honored to be a leader, and I’m always improving. I’m not where I was yesterday, and tomorrow I will have grown from where I am today. Together, we will lead and reach that next level of success.
ARE YOU A VISIONARY THAT IS READY TO GROW & EXPAND?
The core of what we do at iMatter is help you shift your mindset, realize what matters most, get clear on who you are, and learn how to truly live your North Star. We offer community, a safe space, and inspiration for Visionaries that are craving exponential growth and driven to expand their lives.
No matter where you are in the world, iMatter will help you gain clarity, be fulfilled, and feel connected to help you make a huge impact within yourself, your family, and your community. And by the way, as you step into your greatness you will have a ton of fun along the way…
