Strong leadership is the foundation of any successful business. You have the power to be the kind of leader who is a catalyst for change, but true leadership is so much more than simply a title or even managing people. True leadership inspires, empowers and influences.
At its core, extraordinary leadership is about influence—influencing the thoughts, emotions, and actions of others for the greater good.
One of the most impactful things leaders can do is to guide their teams to identify and break through the limiting beliefs that are blocking them from achieving their potential. But before you can have that kind of influence on your team, you have to influence yourself.
Mastering your own psychology
The only way to effectively lead others is to first master your own mindset and emotions. The biggest chokehold on any business is the psychology of its leader, but if you can harness your thinking, you’ll unlock the key to influence and business success.
Changing an organization, a company, a country—the world—begins with the simple step of changing yourself.
If you aren’t sure where to start, business leadership coaching will help you conquer your psychology and develop skills to increase your influence.
Leading with certainty
Great leaders have a vision that goes beyond themselves, and they unite their team behind that greater purpose. Their vision gives them certainty through uncertain times.
Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa after being imprisoned for 27 years. It was a time of widespread division, anger, and deep uncertainty about the nation's future. It would have been easy for Mandela to lean into retribution and revenge. But Nelson Mandela had an unshakable vision of a peaceful, united and equal South Africa. His certainty in this vision allowed him to forgive his oppressors and lead his country through a peaceful transition to democracy.
His confidence and self-assurance inspired his fellow citizens to have faith in each other and the future. His certainty is demonstrated in his speeches when he said things such as, “We are going forward. The march toward freedom and justice is irreversible.”
In moments of difficulty, powerful leaders lead with faith over fear. Both SpaceX and Tesla have faced heavy criticism, financial struggles and near collapse in the past. However, Elon Musk’s unwavering belief in the future of space travel and electric cars drives him to persist through every obstacle and view failures simply as opportunities for growth. Musk’s leadership is characterized by passion and a visionary approach that he communicates effectively with his teams.
Elon Musk has achieved incredible advances in business and technology because he refuses to believe that anything is impossible. He will not let himself or his team be held back by limiting beliefs or fear of failure.
Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, demonstrated how confident leaders can bring hope and stability in times of crisis. Following the devastating Christchurch Mosque shootings, Ardern showed incredible empathy and compassion, visiting with the families of the victims and wearing a hijab in solidarity. Her leadership united her country at a moment when it could have become more divided. She balanced that empathy with decisive action, pushing through gun control legislation within a matter of weeks to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
During the Covid-19 epidemic, Ardern again garnered international recognition for taking quick and decisive action and providing consistent, clear and transparent communication. Like all great leaders, she was confident in uncertain times, had a vision greater than herself, and earned trust with effective communication.
The limiting beliefs that are holding your team back
If you want to be successful, you have to find someone who has achieved what you want and pattern your actions after what they do. If you want to be a leader like Elon Musk, Nelson Mandela, or Jacinda Ardern, you’ll need to face the future with certainty and root out limiting beliefs from your own mind and the minds of your team members.
The only thing that's keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.
Here are some common examples of limiting beliefs that could be stifling your company’s growth:
“We are too small to compete with bigger companies.”
Many new companies feel they lack the resources to compete with large, established businesses. But remember that every industry pillar was once a start-up, and new companies frequently disrupt the establishment when they find ways to better meet customers' needs.
Netflix was once a small start-up trying to compete with Blockbuster in home entertainment. Netflix found a way to reinvent the industry and put Blockbuster out of business.
The only limit to your impact is your own creativity and commitment.
“This is just the way we do things.”
Businesses that are resistant to change become stagnant and die. “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Successful companies are willing to adapt and reinvent themselves over and over again until they get the results they want.
“We don’t have the resources or capital for that.”
Success is not determined by the amount of capital you have or the resources you start with. Some of the most successful companies in the world began with almost nothing. Amazon was started in Jeff Bezos’ garage. All he had was his own savings and some small investments from family and friends. Google began as a research project in a dorm room.
“It’s not resources, but resourcefulness that ultimately makes a difference.” If you are fully committed to your vision, you will find a way. You can manage the time and resources you already have by prioritizing, focusing on what is most important and taking massive action.
“The economy is bad. It isn’t the right time.”
There is never a perfect time to take action. The time to act is now. If you can find a way to grow your business during an economic downturn, you can thrive in any market. Exceptional leaders see opportunities where other people see roadblocks.
Airbnb was started during the recession of 2008. The three founders were struggling to pay rent and decided to rent out air mattresses in their apartment to people attending a local conference. Their company went on to disrupt the entire hospitality industry, but the idea would never have caught on as quickly in flush economic times. Most of their initial customers were travelers who were also strapped for cash and wanted a cheap place to stay.
Rather than viewing the poor economy as a challenge, the founders of Airbnb took advantage of it as an opportunity.
Leading as a force for good
All great leaders ask how they can serve others. They unite their followers behind a compelling vision that serves many people—customers, yes, but also their communities, country and the world. If you want to have this kind of influence, you have to really know your team and see them as more than just employees.
To influence others, you have to know what already influences them.
When you think about each member of your team, do you know what excites them and gets them fired up? What are they really good at? What makes them want to get out of bed and come to work in the morning? What are they passionate about, inside and outside of the workplace?
Like an exceptional coach, when you really understand your team, you will be able to utilize each of your employees’ gifts in the most effective way. You’ll be able to accomplish more with less. Guided by your confidence and driven toward that greater purpose, your team will be empowered to take action, propelling your company toward your goals.