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Skills For Success

May/June 2004

Executive Success: Leadership from the Inside Out

Lelia O’Connor
Executive Coach/Leadership Consultant
Ngal So Consulting Group
Global Center for Authentic Leadership

• focused not only on increasing the bottom line but also using their financial resources to help people and to give back to the global community;
• willing to do the inner work to develop their integrity, character, strong human values and a commitment to improve the quality of life.

Most women are naturally interested in taking care of human relationships, nurturing families, improving the workplace and building better communities. Women make 90% of the health and well-being decisions for their families and are always looking for ways to improve the quality of life in the workplace, schools and the community at large.

That’s why women leaders in healthcare must spearhead efforts to adopt and teach the qualities of authentic leadership. We must challenge the status quo and lead our organizations with vision, integrity, and fiscal responsibility. Not only because this is desperately needed but also because we can. Women instinctively know how to make the world a better place. We know how to run businesses, increase profitability and focus on improving the quality of life.

We often times view leadership as the “act” of leadership split off from the person or as an external event. Leadership is not simply something we “do”—it is our “being” our “state of mind.” We lead by virtue of who we are. The more we can unleash our full human potential—mind, body and spirit—the more value we can create inside and outside of our organizations.

In my 15 years as an executive coach, I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders from many different industries. From this work I’ve identified the following qualities and actions for authentic leadership.

7 Wining Leadership Strategies for Executive Success

• Leadership is the mirror image of your integrity and wisdom:
  Lead with humanism as, in the end, all is people and all is life. A strong sense of purpose and vision should be tantamount to integrity. Be clear about your values. Be adaptable and open to change.Successful leaderslearn from their mistakes, adopt new behaviors and become life long learners.Understand that this is real wisdom so cultivate this with strong intuition and
• Leadership expects material and financial betterment:
  Understand the financial realities of your business. “Keep your eye on the money,” not only to generate profitability but also to improve the quality of life. Use your money and your company’s money in a positive way, to benefit the employees, the community at large and to give back to those less fortunate.
• Leadership is joy and self-empowerment:
  Create an environment where people find joy and the best means to express their passion. Be positive and do what you love, but inspire and empower others in the process. Everyone must do something that’s a source of inner joy. Joy and empowerment are states of mind that you can bring to all of your jobs.
• Leadership demands total concentration towards the ultimate goal:
  Have clarity of purpose and a shared vision, and a concentrated mind to realize it. Understand what matters most and what will make the biggest difference to you and your organization. Be selective so that the ultimate goal is attained effectively. Don’t be sidelined by the unimportant. Develop inner concentration to always stay focused on the positive.
• Leadership walks on the road of patience and tolerance:
  Take a long-term view. Practice patience so that you don’t sidestep important stages within your path and understand the roads others are traveling with you. View your career as a holistic life long journey and view your organization as an essential vehicle to benefit many generations.
• Leadership blooms out of your integrity and compassion:
  The key factor of integrity is “non-harming.” Don’t harm people with your thoughts, actions and words. Don’t harm the environment. Help and be of benefit to others. Create businesses that improve the quality of life for all its shareholders and stakeholders. Set an example: have your actions match your values. Take the high road.
• Leadership brings your corporate and world vision closer to the heart:
  Keep your attention on human relationships. Be committed to the whole person and not just their results. Be willing to accept and act upon criticism and suggestions. Listen to the people