Imagine a situation, you’ve finished the online course, you have all this knowledge, and you feel pretty confident about it. Then a situation comes along that throws you off balance, something in the financial sector isn’t working, you’re losing traction on social media, or your employees are dissatisfied! Your character is put under test when others don’t appreciate you, or some attractive offerings are being given to you. When you need to choose between attaining a long striving goal or providing necessary support for a team member. When a team member yells at you, and you need to give empathy to him. When you are under pressure and need to make sober decisions. Your attitude in these moments will decide your success or failure. Will you choose to be receptive and maintain your integrity and values, or fail the test?!?
If you approach these situations while leading a balanced life, you will probably have more stability to take life’s challenges head-on. Leaders are response-ABLE! They respond instead of reacting as we already mentioned before.
For the knowledge to turn in to realizations, we need to have time to meditate about it and put it in everyday practice.
A soldier does not go in battle unprepared, without any armor or weapons. He is being put under extreme conditions during the training before that. Similarly, we should train and practice all of this knowledge before such challenges happen so that we can be prepared while facing them. And for us, learning this knowledge and implementing it in day to day life is our preparation.
One more thing that will help us significantly is to follow our north star, that is to focus on our life call and long-term goals we want to achieve.
When I was training professional rowing, I experienced what I thought was horrible torture from our trainer! I felt provoked and irritated! But the results came soon. I could see his vision, and gradually he helped us to become the best. Our training became filled with joy. A north star, a vision, will do that for you.
When we are sure in our Vision and purpose, we can take up the role of caretaker. We will be able to act as a loving father for the welfare of others by sometimes being strict or full of understanding and tolerance.
When we put our selfish ambitions outside of the picture and set a higher goal and other people first we will feel joyful all the way through.
Remember we spoke about levels of our existence? This knowledge will come handy while dealing with challenges. If we dive deep in our self and connect with that spiritual side, we will not be disturbed with always changing nature of this world. We will connect with our life purpose and continue to pursue our noble vision.
Like one wise man said: Realizing our spiritual nature enables us to find within ourselves an unchanging core that becomes our shelter amidst the changing world all around us.
The joyful leader always welcomes challenges with optimism and prepares himself before, so he is strong enough to handle them when they come.
When challenges come, remember how to manage stress like we showed in the topic before.
All the best!
Join our free Joyful Leadership online course today! Start here.
SOURCES:
- Filip Brncevic, Joyful Leadership Manual