5 Principles that Expand and Sustain Your Leadership
Success includes good fortune. But HBR author Amy Jen Su believes long-term success goes beyond luck and includes five practical principles.
- Purpose.
- Process.
- People.
- Presence.
- Peace.
She explained her ideas in our recent interview.
Five Ps for bringing out your best self:
#1. Purpose. Success requires an inner compass.
- What is your sense of contribution?
- What inspires you?
Find purpose by exploring contribution and passion. Ask, “What are you excited to contribute to this project?”
Notice energy:
- Feel your enthusiasms.
- Practice physical awareness. Is this energy-giving or energy-draining?
- Notice what’s happening when you’re at your best.
#2. Process. Success requires rituals.
Long-term success requires self-care.
Understanding your relationship to process. Don’t let process be a cage. What works for you? Try morning rituals.
- Read something.
- Think about who you want to be.
- Centering self.
- Practice self-observation by journaling. Don’t judge yourself when you journal, simply observe yourself.
#3. People. Success requires people.
“We raise our own game by raising the game of others.” Sometimes we are players. Other times we coach.
People questions:
- Do you have the right people?
- Do you see them as individuals?
- How do you maximize people’s strengths?
- How do you need to let go?
People make their mark around the things they are great at.
#4. Presence. Success requires awareness.
- Watch your knee jerk reactions. How do you show up to others even in discomfort?
- Monitor the impact of your presence on others.
- Choose your voice.
#5. Peace. Success requires acceptance, gratitude, and trust.
You can’t bring your best and constantly beat yourself down at the same time.
- How might you loosen your grip, taste life, and enjoy the journey?
- Soften the voice of your inner-critic.
- Practice gratitude.
Which of Amy’s suggestions are most relevant to you today?
Purchase Amy’s book: The Leader You Want to Be
Amy on the truth about authenticity – don’t just play dead. (YouTube – 1:05)
Amy on taking the next step. (YouTube – 2:23)
I have found it to be very helpful to think about “purpose” in terms of “contribution.” Asking, “What contribution do I want (am I called to make)?” is helpful to me. That is very specific and concrete approach to the question of purpose. Helping others articulate that for themselves makes great sense.
Thanks Ken. Anytime we can simplify and clarify an ethereal concept it’s helpful. You addition of “called to make,” speaks to me. Perhaps it’s an inner joy or tug. In any case it’s helpful to reflect on this important topic.
My Purpose determines My Process.(which I constantly adjust) which leads to the People I work with and for (that I engage with constantly) making my Presence (time in the box helps develop presence) help me to have Peace (in all I do).
Love how you put this together, Roger. It seems important to be adaptive if we want to grow.
Dan: The real question WHO teaches one to be adaptive? I gleaned a bit of adaptiveness from my Grandfathers and certainly my father by their examples but they did not go out to specifically develop adaptiveness in me. I really had to learn adaptiveness by myself, by observing others and by failing forward along the way. So if you don’t start with a bit of adaptiveness (like I had) how do you know to observe and that failing forward really does work (if you are allowed to do so)
Thanks again for your insights. Some of US learned to adapt after years of banging our heads against the wall. Perhaps is we had asked ourselves if things are actually working, the process would have been quicker. Being hard headed has it’s disadvantages.
I can feel that rituals are one that I lack. There are weeks where I tend to stay in a routine, but then the next week I fall off from doing what was successful for me the past week. The underlying context is consistency. I think looking forward, if I want to succeed, I need to keep doing what is successful and dropping unsuccessful traits. Without that consistency, I can’t be a leader for those who look to me for direction
I am someone who works all day at eshcs.com and esacademy-usa.com since I manage both. I’d like to learn how to earn extra money around-the-clock. I wanted to know how I could utilize my skills. Thank you for sharing this. I’m going to work on this during the holiday seasons since it’s around the corner.