Leadership that carries this kind of meaning must be connected to what brings purpose and motivation to live. When you are attuned to what your soul is asking of you, you can influence others far more powerfully. But when you are disconnected from yourself, you will inevitably be disconnected from the people around you.
Leadership as a Relational Competency
For some authors, leadership is fundamentally a relational competency: your capacity to build meaningful interpersonal relationships. But following this line of reasoning through to its conclusion, the quality of the relationships we maintain with others is directly linked to the quality of the relationship we maintain with ourselves.
Our relationships, feelings, and motivations toward others and toward life are a reflection of the relationship, feelings, and vitality we nurture within ourselves. So we must ask: how are we doing internally? Who are we, and what are our deepest longings? What is our soul asking of us? Are we regularly consulting our own soul?
Looking Inward First
We need to develop this inner voice to become better leaders and better guides for ourselves, and consequently for others. Our teams, organizations, and results mirror who we are. There is no point searching outside if we are unwilling to look within for the deeper causes of our current reality.
We cannot be good guides for our children, our communities, our teams, or our businesses if we are disconnected from ourselves. To preach concepts of life and business while living the opposite creates psychic and collective fractures, and amounts to a waste of time and a betrayal of purpose.
Where All Leadership Begins
Listening to our conscience, our superconsciousness, and seeking to understand not only what our soul desires but what it needs, helps us lead with meaning, purpose, and responsibility. Leading others always begins with leading oneself. The work we do with others will always be a consequence of the work we are doing within ourselves. A happy soul influences the happiness of countless others.