Solutions: A high level leader is always solving problems, they are focussing on the solutions more than the size of the problem itself. For many, it’s an opportunity, rather than a problem. If you tell a top level leader “it’s impossible” they will enjoy proving you wrong.
Top leaders have professional connections and often have a support team but don’t often have trusted peers to bounce ideas off of and objectively help them to process their decision making in a competitive business environment.
We find in our LeaderImpact local groups that many leaders find a safe environment to share the personal impact of the problems and responsibilities they are facing. This is why they make regularly attending a leaderimpact group a priority for them.
Top leaders have professional connections and often have a support team but don’t often have trusted peers to bounce ideas off of and objectively help them to process their decision making in a competitive business environment.
Tip: For other leaders working with top level leaders, it can be helpful to bring them into challenging situations earlier rather than later. It’s much easier to avert a failure if the problem is identified early and the leader is already engaged.
Time: Top level leaders highly value the commodity of time. It’s obviously important for top leaders to invest their time well. Time can not be refunded. Valuing a leader’s time helps them to engage well with the task at hand. Leaders who have spent much time focussing on various investments will begin to tell you that they are aware of the “mistyness of time”, the reality of their own mortality. Personally they may regret time not spent on what they now consider important, but may have been considered important in their earlier days.
In LeaderImpact groups individuals challenge each other to consider their personal lives, how they are spending their time, who they are focussing on and what their priorities are. We have many resources helping leaders focus on their families and their relationships with others.
Tip: Efficiency and punctuality are signs of respect to a busy leader. Prepared when meeting them, start and finish on time. Thank them for being available and investing their time in your conversation.
Learning: Leaders are perpetual learners. Top leaders are often reading far beyond the scope of their businesses. In today's world, they're specifically seeking knowledge that will help them to live a reasonably balanced life. Leaders are looking for impactful development opportunities. Leaders often prioritise wellness because they know that their degree of influence is directly proportional to their degree of real wellness.
In our LeaderImpact groups we focus on the integrated life which includes leadership development personally, professionally and spiritually, helping them focus their perspective on their whole life.
[Leaders are] thinking of legacy, not only in terms of values and faith, but also in terms of family and fortune.
Tip: If appropriate, ask them what they are reading, what they are learning. Consider how you can continue to learn and develop outside your business scope also.
Legacy: Leaders are thinking about legacy in terms of values, faith and fortune. They want to build companies that will outlive them. Companies that will endure hard times and be sustainable for future generations. They're thinking of legacy, not only in terms of values and faith, but also in terms of family and fortune. That’s just the mindset of a top level leader.
In LeaderImpact, we often mention the phrase, “Positive impact starts here”. Once you have achieved a level of success in the business world you may be looking for ways to increase a positive impact in the lives of your business community, your family and peer community. Individuals in LeaderImpact groups encourage each other to look for ways to make a positive impact (and often a legacy) in their own community.
Tip: Join a local LeaderImpact group to learn alongside other leaders who will help you challenge you to grow personally, professionally and spiritually. You can sign up here.
