Prashant Agarwal_BLP056_Self Leadership_Sep’11

“Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is that simple. It is that difficult.” 

  ~ Warren Bennis

 Leadership is about leading yourself and not others. No one can lead others. Essentially it is ‘Self Leadership’ and not ‘self Leadership’. Self Leadership is ‘S’ leading ‘s’.

‘S’ Vs ‘s’

 ‘S’ -- Observer inside us or actual self which is observing the body, perceptions and our actions. It is the Soul, the Consciousness, the Source, the Leader and the Subject. It is the ‘Experiencer’.

‘s’ -- This is illusionary self which we think we are. It constitutes body, 5 senses, heart and intellect. These are merely objects.

Leadership is about leading one’s body and actions, heart and emotions and intellect and thoughts. It is about being led by one’s Consciousness and Spirit.

Life is a series of choices and the purpose of life is about making conscious choices. ‘S’ makes choices how to use ‘s’. How can I use ‘s’ to embrace the unlimited potential within me is SELF LEADERSHIP. When we are accessing the ‘S’, we are fully present. At that point we can learn effortlessly. This is ‘Mindfulness’, the core pillar, the mother of all other pillars of leadership.

Pillars of Inspired Leadership:

1.  Leading Body & Instincts – It’s about leading our perceptions i.e. ability to appreciate ‘Diversity’
2. Leading Heart (‘Emotional Mind’) – Capacity to Relate or ‘Compassion’  
3. Leading Intellect – Capacity to take decisions/make choices or ‘Ethics’
4. Leading Ego – lies between ‘S’ &‘s’. It’s about controlling our EGO i.e. values, habits and fears which form our Belief System. The only way to survive is to free ourselves from our past conditioning and adapt to the need of the moment i.e. ‘Sustainability’. Also that is the only way we can learn.
5. Led by Consciousness – Capacity to Learn or ‘Mindfulness’

Thus Mindfulness leads our belief system by practicing sustainability which ultimately determines our behavior (Ethics, Compassion & Diversity). This is Inspired Leadership.

Leadership is also about enabling others to be leaders. Leaders always encourage others to discover their own potential. Leaders create other leaders and not followers.

 

 Immunity X-Ray:

1. One thing that I want to change?
2. What do I actually do or not do instead?
3. What is the hidden competing commitment behind it?
4. What are the assumptions/mental models/beliefs that give energy to the hidden competing commitment?
5. How do I bring a change in these assumptions using my strengths, values and gifts?

Some beautiful quotes from the Workshop

• Goal is time bound, purpose is not. Goal comes out of purpose. Whatever we do in life is a part of this purpose.
• The biggest leader is the biggest follower of a cause.
• If you are embarrassed by the goodness of your own vision, then it’s worth having.
• Work is love made visible.
• Creators only give ideas. Innovators are executors of these ideas. Be an innovator and not just a creator.
• Talent comes to you in different forms. What you do with it is leadership.
• Mind is completely peaceful only when you do something out of unconditional love.
• People only rise in love, never fall in love.
• Whoever comes are the right people. Whenever it starts, it is the right time. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened. When it is over, it is over.
• Appreciate one’s effort more than his abilities. Reminding people of their best work make them grow further.
• Disappointment comes to those who try to keep an appointment with the future.
• You cannot step into someone else’s shoes without removing your own shoes.
• In meditation – Just Be. In everything else – Be Just.