Remember the old western movies when the stagecoach driver gets shot and he drops the reins and the horses are galloping wildly toward the edge of the cliff? Someone has to grab the reins to regain control of the horses, slow the stagecoach, and avert catastrophe! Who’s driving your stagecoach? How fast are you going? Are you heading toward a cliff? As we rush headlong into our days we may miss the reality that many of us are doing more at the cost of being less.
In the hustle and bustle we can forget that we are all leaving a legacy. What legacy are you creating? Are you racing through your work as a leader and your life? Is it time to be more intentional? Is it time to attend to, connect with, and transform your present moment and future?
It seems to me that the world is at an inflection point. How we conduct business is as important as what we do to go to market. We need leaders who are conscious, connected, and concerned about more than just the bottom line or share price. And, new research indicates that when leaders are more self-aware, the organizations they lead perform better (Zes and Landis, 2013). So take a few minutes and grab hold of the reins. Be intentional. Be authentic. Be a leader.
Today’s post is excerpted from my new book, The Hero’s Journey: Toward a More Authentic Leadership, which is available now at Amazon. http://ow.ly/vp6hr