Once again, we face crisis. In unbalanced times such as these, it’s more important than ever to practice principles of strong, steady leadership. The mark of a great leader is the ability to lead in all kinds of circumstances. In the toughest of times, leaders need to stand on a rock-solid set of core values.
Here are my five principals of balanced leadership in unbalanced times:
1. You know who you are…
- You practice self-reflection
- You recognize and manage your blind spots
- You leverage your strengths while managing your weaknesses
- You take chances and make mistakes
- You acknowledge your mistakes
- You learn from your mistakes
- You maintain a good sense of humor
2. You consistently demonstrate self-control…
- You manage your time
- You adhere to your values
- You maintain your emotional equanimity
- You alternate periods of hard work with periods of sustained rest
3. Your enthusiasm springs from within…
- You manage your energy
- You keep an optimistic outlook while remaining realistic
- You play as hard as you work
4. You can put yourself in the other person’s shoes…
- You balance your needs with those of others in your organization.
- You balance your needs with those of others in your family.
- You cultivate consistency while being adaptable to change
- You try to see yourself as others see you
5. You know how to interact in a group setting and how to benefit from this ability…
- You cultivate a cadre of friends and relatives to keep you on the right path
- You continually develop your ability to communicate with others
- You find ways to persuade and influence others without dominating
- You know how to build and lead teams
- You never do any of this alone
“Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times” by Robert Pasick