As a leader, you are not only influencing others, but impacting them – for better or worse. In his book, The Majesty of Calmness (1898), William George Jordan, American essayist said that we cannot circumvent this responsibility by saying it is unconscious, because “every moment of life [we are] changing…the whole world.” We all have the ability to uplift or dishearten others. By adopting a leadership mindset, we can ensure that to the best of our ability and intentions, we impact others in a positive way.
Your impact stems directly from your mindset as a leader, because your mindset affects your behaviors, which then affects your results.
So what is your mindset?
The term “mindset” means a mental attitude or inclination. Your attitude determines your behavior, and your behavior produces specific results. If you are getting effective results from those you are leading, you are having a positive impact on them, and therefore yourself. (The opposite is also true: Negative results > negative impact > feelings of negativity.)
Are you getting the results or having the impact you want, or are you experiencing unwanted results and outcomes? By looking at the relationship between your mindset, your behavior, and your impact, you can integrate all three components to generate the results you really want.
It is important to note that changing your behavior is not sustainable unless you change your negative mindset to a leadership mindset. A great example of this is what happens when people lose weight. If they just change their behavior – such as eat fewer calories – they lose weight. But if they don’t change their mindset around food, exercise and a healthy lifestyle, they rebound and gain their weight back because they haven’t changed the underlying problem – they haven’t changed the mindset that drives them to overeat.
Changing your behavior without changing your mindset is not sustainable.
Changing your mindset, however, creates sustainable behavioral change.
Observe your impact on others, observe your actions as you carry them out, and observe your mindset as it fills your thoughts and shapes your attitudes. When you notice negative, limiting thoughts, make a choice and shift your perspective to an abundant leadership mindset.
Step Up Leader is committed to facilitating visionary leadership. If it is your time to shift into a higher gear, we welcome your inquiry. Visit www.StepUpLeader.com/Services to schedule your complimentary “Breakthrough Your Barriers” Strategy Session.