Anchored to soar
A leader’s identity and sense of value often hang tenuously by the thread of success or failure. So what happens when the unthinkable occurs? When circumstances beyond our control unfold, and we’re left to deal with the fallout?
How can we mitigate the emotional and physical toll and ensure our visceral reactions to events don’t set us back further? How do we make these setbacks and our responses are a detour, not a hard stop?
These questions are vitally important when considering how our working life and goals are linked to how we and others value us.
I believe it’s about having strong foundations—anchors that stabilize and provide a sure footing. Far from holding us back, anchors like this provide strong foundations from which leaders can launch, achieving their goals without sacrificing what’s truly important to them.
The 5 Leadership AnchorsTM
The keys to healthy longevity in leadership revolve around building resilience and capacity. However, they can only be achieved in the context of identity and relational integrity.
From LCP Global’s work with leaders around the world, we identified five leadership fundamentals or ‘anchors’ that, when aligned, help leaders navigate times of great challenge while continuing to lead themselves and others well. On the surface, they may appear simple enough, but if that were true, there wouldn’t be the need to keep reinforcing them.
- The quality of your relationships
- A clear definition of success and an understanding of your motivational drivers
- Commitment to character development that builds confidence and resilience
- Transforming your personal script so you can make better decisions
- Creating a new success trajectory personally, professionally, and corporately
Like seasoned climbers, leaders who use these anchors can scale heights they never thought possible. But more than that, they set themselves up to weather the storms of life and business. We’ve found that when people take time to honestly evaluate where they’re at and work to incorporate these leadership anchors, everyone in their lives benefits.
So, what do you think of when we talk about anchors? What image does it bring to mind?
