We all have opportunities in our lives to be leaders, whether we are the heads of multi-million-dollar corporations or stay-at-home moms and dads. But we don’t become leaders simply by acquiring a position of authority.  Strong, effective leadership begins with healthy self leadership. By establishing priorities and achieving goals in our own lives, we are setting positive examples for others to follow. In addition, healthy self leadership is one of the keys to creating healthy relationships.

Joan Wright is an executive coach who has a passion for personal leadership. She said, “We are living in such extraordinary times and this is a great time to take a second look at yourself and see yourself as a leader—maybe for the first time. Instead of just staying in a survival mode, think about taking a look at being more ambitious with your life and reaching for a life that has more meaning and purpose.”

Joan compares the leadership journey to climbing a mountain with three distinct levels:

• The lowest level is survival—a place where we are just trying to keep our heads above water. The focus at this point is on "self."  
• Next comes the success level where we achieve our goals. Some of those goals may be set by others, but the most satisfying ones are those that we set for ourselves.
• At the top, is the significance level.  Here we take the time to reach beyond success and become not only the best IN the world but the best FOR the world.

To reach this third level of significance, Joan recommends following the “three A’s”:

• Acknowledge what you love to do most and what you do better than most.
• Align your life and design your life around what you love to do and what you do best.
• Advance toward your goals with deliberate actions that are the most critical next steps.

As we set out on this journey toward a life of significance we need to be aware of two competing forces—fear/ego and passion/purpose:

Fear/ego:  Fear can trigger victim behavior, feelings of entitlement, and self righteousness—a feeling that you were wronged and need to get even.  Ego can drive you to be more concerned about yourself and to seek to control others.  Recognition, visibility, and material gain become your primary motivators.

Passion/purpose:  Becoming passionate or purposeful, on the other hand, helps us to become victors and take responsibility for our own actions.  At the significance level, purpose and passion enable us to make a quantum shift in being in service to others for their life of significance.

To achieve healthy self leadership, Joan suggests that you begin with a self audit:

• Look at your calendar, emails, phone logs, and checkbook. Do your commitments match up with your convictions? 
• Once you have determined what you love and do best, it's important to share this information with others. This is not a time for stealth leadership.
• Finally, what kind of support team do you have?  You need a team that will advise you, support you, counsel you, challenge you, and also complement what you don’t do well.

Keep these ideas in mind as you’re developing your own leadership skills and working toward achieving a life of significance.  You will benefit and so will the world around you.

Written by:
Kay Jones Lewis
Editor
Wellness Coalition America

From an interview with:
Joan O. Wright
www.osullivanwright.com