Leadership: We know what works, but how do you live it?

Uncertainty and the fast pace of change have made leadership in today’s world very difficult. And yet we need excellent leadership. In fact, research shows that organizations in the top quartile of leadership deliver nearly 3.5 times the shareholder value than others. At the same time, 80 percent of leaders feel they are unprepared to take on their new roles.

The dimensions of what makes for great leadership are actually quite well-known and extremely well-researched. The challenge is not understanding what those dimensions are; the challenge is how we actually live them. The reason this becomes difficult is that there is not just one way of leading. For example, a leader needs to be bold and humble, decisive and yet listen to other people, be highly analytical and highly intuitive. Obviously, putting all these together within one person becomes hard.

As F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” That’s the challenge leaders have.

We feel that a more human-centric leadership needs to be put in place, where leaders forget they are managers and realize they are humans first.

The first step toward this type of leadership is to recognize that “it starts with you.” Leaders need to reflect, be self-aware, understand themselves, and then build up a few important qualities. One is humility—realizing you’re not always the smartest person in the room. Another is confidence—being clear you have a seat at the table.

Once you have mastered those qualities, it is about leading beyond yourself—inspiring through boldness, showing empathy and care, allowing and empowering others, and realizing that control is just an illusion.

This journey is hard and long, but rewarding. To make it less stressful and manage one’s energy, leaders can reflect, they can meditate, they can connect with mentors and peers, so they are able to go on this extremely gratifying journey.