What if I told you that we only live about 29,000 days or 960 months… Would you spend your time differently?
What if I told you that The Leader Who Had No Title changed my life? Would you read it too? I wonder if you would make a reflection about your lifestyle and finally would change something in your life.
We usually live our own lives without realizing that time is limited and that every day is a new opportunity to become the best of you. Fortunately, current circumstances are helping us to realise time is limited…
Nowadays it is quite common to see employees waiting for a better position with more responsibilities. But why? So, they can reach their maximum potential.
Robin Sharma is the main figure in the following article. The author of “The Leader Who Had No Title”, criticizes the modern society in situations such us the ones mentioned previously. In his book, Sharma thinks over unhappiness in the human being and professional dissatisfaction. The author does not start writing about the acceptance of destiny, but the importance of self-knowledge. Changing is our responsibility. The Leader Who Had No Title will make you think, grow, hesitate… so the idea of becoming a better person will be the first thing in your mind.
And this is how the author explains his knowledge about leadership. Different acronyms allow him to customize his lessons though light-hearted and pleasant narrations. There are four key concepts that will be defined bellow:
You don’t need to have a title to become a leader
“I could complain more often but, I believe that our highest human freedom is our ability to choose”. This is how the author talks about the importance and will of decision-making. Then he introduces his first acronym: IMAGE
IMAGE
Firstly, I is for the innovation a leader must apply. He has to make sure that everything he touches during the day is left in a better version. The M is for mastery and the importance of being the best of you. You have to be demanding with yourself, more than anyone can tell you. A means authenticity of a transparent leader. A leader has to be able to be who he really is and to say what he thinks. He has to believe in himself when anyone else does. In addition, he needs to have ethical values (E) and great honour (G). Then, a persistent and brave leader would be motivated to put his principles into practice with coherence.
Hard times create great leaders
Sharma takes the story of a successful skier to describe the necessity to cope with our fears and limitations. This way, we can adapt to uncomfortable situations through persistence, concentration and patience. The acronym for this section is SPARK.
SPARK
The S is the sincerity that a leader must have in order to communicate the truth with transparency. Similarly, P is for prioritize. In this task, you have to establish your goals if you want to increase your efficacy. Moreover, he reminds readers that 80% of results come from 20% of actions. We don’t need to do more; we need to do better.
He continues with his definition of letter A. The adversity, a platform of different possibilities that have to be assumed with persistence and patience. It is quite important to know, however, that a great leader always answers; he doesn’t react (R). He should worry about the things he can control and should have enough initiative to be a role model.
Finally, he talks about Kudos to define letter K. It refers to the necessity to inspire others with the cause. To sum up, he uses the following sentence: “Repeat every day what scares you most and transform your fear into strength. This is how you become self-confident and invincible”.
Interpersonal relationships influence your leadership
Now, The Leader Who Had No Title introduces the importance of leadership. This section is based on the creation of human networks and its whole development. In this context, he uses the acronym SERVE.
SERVE
Letter S is for helpful. Someone who does always more than he/she was actually asked for. E describes the importance of listening to others so they can communicate (R) more effectively. On the other hand, V means to value the good times. People should be satisfied with their jobs and tasks in order to increase their productivity. To conclude, he defines letter E: to respect and to take care of others using your best qualities.
To be a good leader you have to be a great person
In the fourth section, Sharma talks about the importance of being a good person. You cannot share your energy if you don’t have energy yourself. That’s why a leader should reflect on his actions who he/she really is. To illustrate this idea, he uses the acronym SHINE.
SHINE
The way we see others determine how we act. This is why S means to perceive. We should be open-minded. Moreover, good leaders should exercise (H) to take care of themselves. He also defines I: inspiration. Inspiration gives sense to a leader’s actions and it also helps to develop your inner strength.
That inner strength usually needs good foundations. This is how Sharma describes letter N: strengthen family bonds. The last step is letter E: improve your life quality, because you only live once. You have to think about your legacy. The author also emphasizes: “we can possess the things we love but we cannot let things possess us”.
Don’t always go with the flow
In a world that goes full speed, it is sometimes difficult to stop for a while and give yourself some minutes of reflection. This time will allow us to relax and assess if we are using our leader capabilities.
This month I suggest starting by reading this book as a gift to yourself. It is a book which impacts you if you read consciously. Like Sharma said: “If you don’t make your decisions in life, life will usually make the decisions for you”. And you? Do you want to go with the flow? Or do you prefer to make a positive impact?
All the best,
Nieves
Life, Corporate and Executive Coach
For more information about Corporate & Executive Coaching and workshops please contact me at fastracktorefocus@fastracktorefocus.com
