How To Become A Conscious Leader

The world needs more leaders. Real leaders who make positive change.

If I have the ability to become a “conscious” leader, then I have every obligation to do so. My family, friends, co-workers, business partners, followers and fellow tribe members depend on it.

I am using the first person, because I believe in the famous quote by Ghandi: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

I’ve started studying leadership and found this one book so profound, I just have to share some of the main points with you.

It’s called One: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership by Lance Secretan.

Lance talks about the CASTLE principles which are the basis for conscious leaders and the fact that we are one. Most leaders today live in separateness. Thinking only of what they can get, how much more money they can make, how much power they can achieve.

But when we start to see leaders who believe and act in oneness, that is when we’ll start to see a real shift in the world. These are the kinds of leaders we need more of.

The CASTLE principles are:

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COURAGE

Conscious leaders have courage to see that maybe they are wrong, maybe someone they haven’t agreed with in the past has a valid point or is onto something.

These leaders take chances that others won’t.

They do what they know is right, from their heart, even if they may face ridicule or embarrassment.

They have courage to be authentic and true to their values.

In my own growth over the past year, I’ve realized that doing this business takes a lot of courage, not only to step outside your comfort zone and all the traditional things that push the level of courage, but to humble myself to know that I am a leader to some and a follower to others.

AUTHENTICITY

Conscious leaders are truly authentic and authenticity is not possible without courage.

When we are authentic we are one with what we think, feel and say. Everything we do, sends the same message. There is no conflicting actions in a truly authentic leader.

This doesn’t mean we may not have conflicting thoughts, but being authentic with others about those conflicts keeps us truly authentic.

Authenticity results in trust and in business, people buy from those they trust. We all know that. But being authentic even when we’ve made a mistake or are trying to be someone or something we’re not, will have a greater, positive impact.

SERVICE

“Conscious leaders know that the primary purpose of leadership is to serve the needs of followers. If this were not so, why would we need a leader?”

In many decisions we face, we can chose to harm or to serve. Competitive sport, which is so prevalent in today’s media, sends a message of win/lose. ‘Someone has to lose and it won’t be us.’ These types of actions only alienate, frustrate and diminishes our health.

When we truly desire and make happen a Win-Win situation, we all benefit …because we are one.

It’s inspiring to see a group like the Unified Tribe all in service to each other. And just by this simple action, I know I’ve personally seen growth in my business by being a part of it.

TRUTHFULLNESS

Have you ever told a lie and gotten away with it? I know I have and I could probably say with a good degree of surety that almost every one has.

Have you ever told the truth and been rewarded two fold? It happens believe me. Try it out sometime.

According to Lance, it’s the biggest profit booster. I know I’m committed to truthfulness because I know that we are all one and that truthfulness will come back to me.

When I talk to people about my business opportunity or my products, I know that if I expand the truth even just a little bit, it will come back to bite me in the but.

I’ve worked with people in the past who live on “little white lies” and from what I can see these people are not even a fraction of the success they could be.

If we all could commit to truthfulness, wow what a world this would be.

LOVE

What really blew me away with this principle is that it shattered my previous belief that one must love oneself first before they can love others. I always thought that was true.

Boy was I wrong…

Only in loving others first and living in oneness can we truly become conscious leaders.

I’m reminded of a marketing tactic that involved using fear as a way to get someone to buy something. It’s used more than the ‘carrot’ in marketing because people are more likely to move away from fear than to move towards pleasure.

Doing too many things at once, multitasking and distractions keep us from truly loving and being engaged with someone. In my goal towards becoming a conscious leader, I will put more focus on people, loving and listening to them.

Plus…multitasking leads to mediocrity.

EFFECTIVENESS

I have to be honest here. When I saw this last principle, I got a little nervous cause I thought that it was going to be about how smart one person was or about being a strategic thinker.

Wow..was I wrong…

Effectiveness comes automatically from all the above principles. Effective people are inspired. They act on all the above principles, and become people-first thinkers.

When conscious leaders do this, they earn the economic right to effectiveness….and therefore their own success and the success of others.

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So as I (and you) start to become a conscious leader by practicing these 6 principles, we together will start to see that it’s good for the bottom line AND for the soul.

I highly recommend anyone interested in becoming a better leader (one that the world REALLY needs) to read this book and start living these principles….I know that I personally am committing to taking these on in my own life.