Born With It? 4 Ways to Awaken the Leader Within

“She was born to be a leader.” 

Sounds like a compliment, doesn’t it? I mean, you’re praising her leadership: It’s so good it must be in her DNA.

But where does that leave the rest of us? If we’re not born with it, we’re totally forked? Some folks just came out of the womb with this inherent greatness the rest of us didn’t get? And even if we find (or fight) our way into leadership roles, we’ll know deep down, we just don’t have “it”?

Nah. I don’t buy it.

After decades of coaching and mentoring, I’ve learned one thing for sure: We were ALL born with greatness inside us. Full stop.

Great leaders are simply those who’ve found a way to awaken their greatness within.

What makes a great leader?

Great leaders are empathetic. They’re passionate. They empower others to thrive.

They also practice. A lot.

Great leaders haven’t just awakened their greatness… they continually do what it takes to keep their greatness awake.

They start with an unwavering belief that the “it” of great leadership lives inside them, and they commit to taking consistent action to tap into and develop it.

Here are four things great leaders do to awaken—and continually tap into—their greatness:

1. Lead from the Heart

Despite the verb at the beginning, leading from your heart isn’t something you do. It’s a way that you be. To be someone who leads from the heart, set an intention to be that, drop into your body, and feel. You might be surprised at the new insights you have and actions you take when you get out of your head and lead with your heart. 

Try this: Before presenting a new idea to your staff or team, set your notes aside for a moment and get present to the people about to be sitting in front of you.

2. Let Go of Perfection

Although I could argue that Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream IS PERFECT, the truth is that nothing and no one in this world is perfect. In fact, when you measure yourself against perfection, you will ALWAYS find yourself lacking.. The same goes for the people you lead. You’ll live and lead more wisely and effectively when you let go of perfection and lean into your—and others’—greatness instead.

Try this: Send yourself a “Congrats on being human” card the next time you ‘screw up.’ Celebrate the reminder that perfection doesn’t exist. And, bonus time!  Take some time to figure out how to make sure that “screw up” doesn’t happen again.  Screw ups are always life’s little lessons.

3. Listen for the Gold

Have you ever noticed that you always hear what you’re listening for? Let’s say you’ve got a team member who’s “negative.” Every time you talk to them, you’re expecting them to be negative and they are. But have you ever considered that when you listen FOR something you hear it every single time? 

What would happen if you listened FOR the gold in every interaction instead? Listened FOR what is possible? Listened FROM curiosity and wonder instead of already knowing how someone is going to be. The truth is, you are always three feet away from gold… if you’re willing to let go of your viewpoints and make room for new ones. 

Try this: Got a Zoom call coming up? Write “Listen FORthe gold” on a sticky note and put it where you can see it. Notice the brilliance that shows up. I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised.

4. Acknowledge Others

Acknowledgement is not a means to an end. It’s not a “compliment sandwich” meant to take the edge off a foul-smelling turd of constructive criticism. 

When you acknowledge another human being, seeing and honoring them for exactly how they show up—not how you wish they would be—you create an environment where greatness awakens all around you. What would be possible then?

Try this: Pick three people to acknowledge this week. Tap into your heart and notice what you can authentically appreciate about each of them. Then, TELL THEM!

Are You Ready to Awaken Your Greatness?

You can learn more about the four principles above and transform your leadership in just 5 minutes a day with my upcoming Awaken Your Greatness Challenge. It’s a user-driven, self-paced app that’s powered by neuroscience, positive psychology, and human connection.

Over 30 days, you’ll perform small, powerful DAILY actions that take just a few minutes. Those micro-actions will become habits, and those habits will become the foundation for you to show up as the great leader you already are!

Here’s what a few past participants had to say:

“A fundamental shift occurred for me for the first time in 50 years. I stopped listening to all of my thoughts and started leading from my heart. It was the confirmation of self that I had been missing for decades.”

—Paul Sheldon, CEO, Author, Dreambassador

"I was in a severe car accident where I suffered a traumatic brain injury. When you presented the idea of leading with the heart, I was learning to listen to my heart and let my heart, body, and spirit lead where my mind could not."

—Atlas Newman, Small Business Consultant

"Greatness is often equated with an Einstein, Walt Disney, or someone famous or of great importance. But you don’t have to be famous or uber-important to be great. Being great is about how you show up for others."

—Jeremi Bryant, Real Estate Developer

Are you ready to find out what 5 minutes a day can do for your leadership? Click here to register.