What is a leader?  Quite simply, a leader is one who is not satisfied with the status quo.  In fact, the difference between a leader and manager is just that, dis-satisfaction with the status quo.  Managers are fearful of change, as it disrupts the bureaucratic process that enables them to maintain control over a process.  Change often means growth, and while growth can be painful, it leads to increased relevance and productivity within a culture.  However, in order to lead change, we must first be willing to lead ourselves, and in order to do that we need to build upon particular foundations.

A strong foundation for leadership is vital if we desire to not only stand at the front of our organization and say “I have an idea,” but also to stoop at the feet of those we lead and serve them with a full heart.  Self-leadership means that we focus on growing spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically so that when we face crisis we are able to draw from a large toolbox of solutions in order to fix the problem.

“A growth that is not toward God is growing to decay.” George McDonald

We have a need to grow spiritually because we have both a physical and a spiritual aspect to our lives.  Neglecting one over the other creates an imbalance that leads away from growth and toward decay. We want to grow into our fullest humanity leadership that lines up with truth.

“CEOs are hired for their intellect and business expertise – and fired for a lack of emotional intelligence.”  David Golman

Emotional growth provides us the opportunity to move outside of ourselves and share in the struggles of other people.  Growing our emotional intelligence allows us to feel an emotion, but not immediately respond to that emotion.  In the same way, emotional intelligence gives us ears to hear the hurt, frustration and the joy of those we share time with and let listening be the answer.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” John F. Kennedy

As a leader, our thirst for intellectual thirst is never quenched.  There is no time in our careers where we can finally say “I made it.”  In fact, even when we reach the top rank within our organization, changes in the market, technology, and numerous other factors threaten to make our position irrelevant.  It seems a hard fact that in order to lead, you must read.

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.  ~Carol Welch

What often comes to mind when you think about a strong leader?  Is it a small, shrunken individual?  Not at all!  Regardless of gender, all leaders portrayed in great stories have the common denominator of physical strength in the face of adversity.  Now, while the majority of us are never going to called upon to lead soldiers out of the trenches, we all share a need to have the physical strength required to withstand stress.  Studies have shown that exercise not only decreases stress, but also leads to higher cognitive function and more clear decision-making, all requirements of anyone in a leadership position.  Therefore, as we step to the front and show others the path to take, we must ensure that we have spent just as much time honing our physical strength as we have our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual capacities.

So, as you seek to grow as a leader, remember you must invest time in building your foundation.  Growing spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically provides for us a foundation that is well-balanced and secure enough to stand against the challenges we are sure to confront in the art of leading men and women.