An Effective Leader is a Thinking Leader
“Remember, the thoughts that you think and the statements you make regarding yourself determine your mental attitude. If you have a worthwhile objective, find the one reason why you can achieve it rather than hundreds of reasons why you can’t.”
– Napoleon Hill
1883-1970, Author of Think and Grow Rich
My mom constantly reminded me, “What you think…you are.” That really helped me shape my thinking and to be able to control my thoughts.
Bob Proctor tells his audiences that our thinking determines our results, and not the other way around.
We want to be victims of circumstances when things become challenging. But it’s our duty as leaders to manage ourselves. In fact, the only thing in the world that we have total control over is between our ears. Managing self depends on managing our thinking.
Here are my thoughts on managing our thinking.
Thinking tips:
- Schedule Time to Think: Calendar the time. When we leave it up to random available time, it does not happen. Thinking is as important as acting. Thinking sets up acting and ensures that the actions are solid. Caution: Thinking does not replace action and thinking should not become an excuse for inaction.
- Be Intentional with Positive Affirmations: You give energy to what you think about. Read your goals daily and have an appropriate action plan item for implementation daily. Read the purpose and the reason for your goals. Know what you are doing and what value it will bring to you and to your enterprise. Positive affirmations are not fluff. Let your subconscious mind be fed with positive thoughts that will inspire your whole being to positive results.
- Thoughts Attract Energy: The Law of Attraction means that you attract what you are, not what you want. Same attracts same. When we think about negative topics and let our fears take possession of our mind, then we attract negative energy. Intentionally having a positive image to place in our mind when those fears threaten to take over ensures that we don’t give ourselves over to the negative forces.
- Think Systems: Bowen Family Systems teaches us to think and observe group emotional systems. Leadership is a system and we work in group emotional systems. We are a part of an emotional system, and thinking of each person as a part of the whole provides information for leaders to understand what they observe.
- Thinking Rather Than Feeling: Emotions color rational thinking. Manage self by managing emotions. When the leader is anxious, it transfers to everyone in the group. Stay calm and don’t respond with emotion. Be a thinking leader.
Being an effective leader means being alert to what’s happening around us by observing and responding – not reacting.
Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist
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