Manila, 23 June 2022 — What is the one leadership secret that makes the difference?

Story

It happened in 2021. One of the world’s well known and widely admired leaders stepped back. When prominent leaders leave their position, it’s usually because they lost an election. It’s not so often that we see leaders leaving their position on their own initiative. When Angela Merkel did that, it prompted many journalists and observers to acknowledge her for what she had become known for: practicing leadership in a way that was unassuming yet consistently influential.

Every year, many books are written about leaders and leadership. For me, as a student of leadership, the way leaders show up in their trade is as meaningful as their policies and results. A good leader, to me, is one who is focused and skilled to respond effectively to different situations in an appropriate way. If you like a golf metaphor, a good leader is like the player who can use all 14 clubs in their bag to good effect during their round on the golf course.

There is only one way to become a master of your trade, whether that’s being a national leader or a local professional who makes positive changes happen in your workplace. More than what you know, it’s what you do as a leader that matters, and how you keep getting better at your trade by keeping at it. In my book, that is called practice and that, in my experience, is what sets good leaders apart. Practice is a leader’s superpower.

Challenge

From Buddha to Mandela and Merkel — and please add your favorite leader role model — what is remarkable about them is the way they continue to inspire us by what they consistently focused on in their practice as they pursued transformational results. For Buddha, that was to help his followers discover enlightenment in their lifetime. For Mandela, it was to bridge divides through language and build a rainbow nation. And for Merkel, it was to bring fellow leaders together in dialogue to find pragmatic solutions.

For most leaders, building their unique practice starts with experiencing a challenge and a personal call to action. A well-known metaphor for this is the Hero’s Journey, which starts with the hero experiencing a calling and then making a vow to pursue that calling with everything they have. The journey starts and gains momentum with the hero leading themselves. That is why, in our leadership practice at TransformationFirst.Asia, we choose to transform ourselves first rather than blame people or situations for the challenges we face. We believe that’s what leaders do.

How to go about finding and cultivating your superpower as a leader? First, you can look for, and embrace, life’s challenges rather than finding ways to avoid them. It’s in the challenges that you will find that your calling lies waiting to be discovered. Second, choose a leadership framework to help you get to work and develop focus. There are many frameworks to choose from. Feel free to consult me in case you have difficulty making a choice. Third is to practice and keep practicing, while getting regular feedback from your colleagues and coach.

Question

My question this week is what your unique practice —your leadership superpower — is focused on? Have you already experienced your call to action? Have you embarked on your Hero’s Journey?

Let me know if you need help with that. Leaders don’t just grow by themselves. They use coaches and mentors to get the best support they can find, because what they are after is a matter of great importance to them.

Set up a free strategy call to discuss your challenges and what you want your leadership superpower to look like. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.