The Other Side of Leadership: Moving from Authoritarian to Authentic
Robert Palmer, PhD
Being centered is not about doing but being. Being who you are is the first step. The second step is the doing. You have to be yourself. It is being who you truly are as a unique human being characterized by possibility. Zander and Zander (2002) further explain that the central self is concerned with being free in who we are, listening, inquiring, and compassionate; it is open and aware. The centered leader requires the transcendence of personality and includes behavior, vision, and growth. The central self is the remarkably generative, prolific, and creative nature of ourselves and the world. The central vs. calculating self is a derivative of the spiritual dimension of your life. A centered leader pulls from their life’s mental, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, especially the spiritual element. Often, the spiritual is the most ignored dimension of your humanity. People fear the spiritual. It would be best if you reconsidered the development of your spiritual and mental, social, emotional, and physical dimensions.
Centered leadership addresses the whole person—with an emphasis on the manifestation of each dimension (i.e., awareness, connection, empowerment, and performance), integration of each constituent element (i.e., personality, behavior, vision, and growth), and the congruence of each constituent component that can lead to centeredness resulting in your full functioning, fulfillment, and a more effective process for influence.
Centered Leadership is developed through behavioral techniques that allow the authentic self to emerge to the observable surface and breathe. The outer self is visible to everyone, and unfortunately, most people perceive only the visible aspects of the leader. The leaders believe in their fake reality, and others buy into the phony persona. You can focus your energies and perform at new levels by aligning each constituent element and presenting an accurate sense of who you are. You will confidently engage in stressful situations, and you will be able to handle difficult people calmly while remaining determined to accomplish your goals while being your true self and facing challenging situations and circumstances.
Being centered means having a reference point or a place that allows you to reset if you have to and come back to when life’s challenges throw you out of alignment, and your emotions pull you out of your centered place. The center is the place you know you have to get back to because it’s when you’re at your best. By achieving centeredness, you can produce more thoughtful, strategic, and authentic responses rather than reacting to everyday stressors. The authentic interplay of your personality, behavior, vision, and growth increases your influence. Centeredness is being aware of what is going on around you and what is happening to you while realizing how your behavior connects you to people and opportunities. That connection empowers you to pursue and fulfill your vision. Your vision requires that you perform, resulting in unanticipated growth and impact. This will be an exciting journey. Let me encourage you to take things as they come. Be as honest as possible because it will only help you quickly become more influential with yourself and others. The place to get started is with a personal SWOT Analysis.
Reference:
Zander, R.S., and Zander, B. (2002). The Art of Possibility. Penguin Books.