How Ordinary People Can Become Extraordinary Leaders
People are often fascinated with how ordinary individuals can become extraordinary leaders. In this article we’ll explore how leaders can tap into their full leadership potential by activating their Inner Core.
Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Lincoln and many other renowned leaders were everyday people whose actions had an enormous impact. Their ability to activate their 5 Core Energies was the cornerstone of their success.
1. They Have a Vision
Establishing a vision is the cornerstone of leadership. Individuals with vision establish goals they wish to attain and devise a plan for reaching them; furthermore they inspire and motivate others towards supporting these objectives.
Barack Obama stands as an excellent example of this phenomenon. He united people around his vision for a better America and world; believing he could inspire confidence among others that believed in him too.
Extraordinary leaders often hail from humble roots, which demonstrates the significance of having the common touch. Leaders like Lincoln developed it through life experiences; more likely however they possessed high Emotional Intelligence levels that enabled them to empathise with those they lead.
An effective way of creating an approachable experience for people is through having a distinct mission statement, like Invisible Children has with theirs: ending violence faced by families across Central Africa by offering local solutions. By clearly outlining their goals, Invisible Children has inspired others to support them and stay committed.
2. They Have a Mission
At a time of chaos and fear in our world, there are people who stand up for what they believe in and their cause. These ordinary individuals have one mission – joining God’s kingdom by accepting whatever role He has for them to fulfill.
These individuals are dedicated to serving others with kindness and mercy, whether that means community service, Bible studies or witnessing, travel abroad for ministry work or even witnessing from the pulpit – whatever it takes.
Extraordinary leaders possess the unique ability to motivate and inspire others. They can envision an exciting future for their followers and communicate this vision effectively, invoking fierce devotion from those they lead. Furthermore, extraordinary leaders possess an extraordinary capacity for perseverance through adversity; something which sets them apart from ordinary leaders as they believe experiencing it as necessary in order to grow and learn how to overcome it.
3. They Have a Strategy
A great leader is both persistent and courageous enough to remain committed in times of trouble, keeping their eye on the big picture while remaining firm in their convictions for leading others effectively. By staying the course and remaining committed, leaders can build a powerful team around themselves that back them.
Extraordinary leaders are highly effective at learning from and growing alongside their people. Knowing they cannot do it all themselves, these extraordinary leaders surround themselves with talented individuals who challenge and encourage each other while giving those under their control an opportunity to shine.
No matter the form or medium of learning, extraordinary leaders seek new experiences to expand and deepen their leadership potential. This could include formal learning programs or informal mentorship. They welcome challenges while remaining comfortable with discomfort as a means of activating their five Core Energies for transformation of themselves, teams, colleagues and audiences – as seen with Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln or Eleanor Roosevelt among many other outstanding examples! We need more of these leaders!
4. They Have a Plan
For any leader to become extraordinary, they need a plan. Achieve extraordinary leadership requires an extraordinary leader. Have a purpose that drives you and share this with others. Don’t be afraid of taking risks; ordinary people achieve extraordinary things by facing down their fears and taking action – take Shackleton as an example: He led an Endurance expedition that got stuck near South Pole before managing to rescue all his men without losing anyone in the process.
Exciting leaders are constantly discovering something new. They actively pursue challenges that will help them develop as leaders, surrounding themselves with people who surpass them in skill or knowledge.
Ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things when working together. Given our current era of resignations and attrition rates, relational leadership is more crucial than ever if organizations want their employees to stay. You must create an environment in your workplace that encourages and inspires everyone; doing this will increase chances that people will follow you during difficult times.
5. They Have a Plan of Action
If you want to become an exceptional leader, the first step in developing an extraordinary leadership style is having a plan. One way is learning from great leaders and studying their habits and strategies; then making your own and using them for success – like Shackleton with his Endurance expedition in 1914 when his crew survived freezing waters and deserted islands without losing anyone, without losing anyone due to lack of planning! He had his plan.
Extraordinary leaders cultivate people around them and inspire fierce loyalty and devotion, wielding great influence and making a real impactful statement about life in general. Spend some time considering where your life fits into this picture of global affairs as a whole and ask God for direction on how best to use your skills and experiences towards having a positive effect as part of his global network.
Most people use low-frequency strategies to achieve their goals; setting goals and vowing to meet them can be similar to vowing off drugs after relapse. By contrast, elites use a much better solution: creating systems which automatically achieve their goals.
6. They Have a Plan of Growth
Un essential aspect of becoming an exceptional leader lies in personal growth. Many extraordinary leaders actively seek out challenges as it’s the only way to adapt and expand as leaders.
Extraordinary people understand the necessity of risk taking in order to achieve their goals, taking calculated risks as necessary in order to progress in life and distinguishing themselves as exceptional leaders from their mediocre counterparts. This ability distinguishes extraordinary leaders from mediocre ones.
To be an exceptional leader, one must be capable of motivating and inspiring their followers. Be it cleaning up our beaches or working towards world peace – people crave meaning in their lives and strive to believe in something.
At its core, we are all capable of being extraordinary leaders if we so choose. Contrary to popular belief, leadership does not depend on rank or status but is rather defined by daily behaviors and actions taken. With today’s world of increased resignations and fluid workforces, relational and inspiring leadership have never been more essential.
7. They Have a Plan of Influence
Ordinary people possess the power to have a profound effect on others’ lives, all it takes is the desire and commitment to do something and take action. Each act of service counts; Mother Teresa, Anne Sullivan and Nelson Mandela are just three examples of notable people who used their influence for good in helping improve the lives of others.
Extraordinary leaders proactively seek challenges that will enable them to grow as leaders and take risks without fear or hesitation. They encourage others to embrace life with courage; life cannot exist without taking risks! They believe life should not be lived without risk being taken on.
Extraordinary leaders understand the importance of expanding their leadership team and inspiring fierce devotion in those they lead. They are adept at producing other leaders within their organization and experiencing unparalleled morale and job satisfaction because their leadership is not about themselves; it’s all about those they lead.
8. They Have a Plan of Action
Ordinary people can become extraordinary leaders by making a daily commitment to do something positive and setting out a plan to make it happen. Since 95 percent of people won’t persevere long enough to achieve their goals, it is crucial to create a solid commitment to change while developing an action plan to guide you along your journey.
Leaders build teams and instill fierce loyalty and devotion from those they lead. Extraordinary leaders wield tremendous influence to unite their team around their vision; staying committed during difficult periods enables them to accomplish their goal more quickly.
These leaders help their people believe that extraordinary things are possible, providing motivation and inspiration needed to perform at their best. Furthermore, they create experiences which shape and strengthen their people – including giving young people opportunities to experience surmountable adversity as former Munster and Ireland rugby player Paul O’Connell once observed: ‘you need to lose in order to learn how to win.’
