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Key Takeaways Be calm, clear and direct: Mindfulness can play a huge part in becoming a stronger, calmer leader. It creates a space between stimulus and response, and in that space, you can access calm, clarity and intention about what comes next.
Be good to those around you, but it’s important to strike a balance between being kind and stern. Think about how you’d want to be treated, and lead with that as your motivator.
Be a smart decision maker for your team: The key to smart decision-making comes down to having a well-rounded mindset blended with empathy, understanding and trust.
When I was growing up, from about nine years old til my first big-girl job at 22, I saw all types of leadership. Whether it was teachers, pastors, principals or mentors, I observed the ways I was being taught what a leader should be. And as you can imagine, each example was dramatically different! Confusing, even.
I saw brute strength, strict demeanor, dismissiveness and — my personal favorite — emotional manipulation. Often, I felt scared or intimidated by leadership. Seeing a leader walk into the room was like Pavlov’s dog, but instead of salivating over a treat, I stood up taller, put my head down or got quiet. Not all the leadership I experienced was so bad. I just didn’t recognize it as leadership.
I recall moments when a teacher would calmly walk into a room and quiet us down. And a time when I was struggling in my youth group, and the first person I thought to go to was the young youth pastor who spoke lightly yet sternly. Or one time, I had a manager who bent the rules for me when I had a scheduling conflict. After many years of managing my own team, one thing has remained at the forefront of how I choose to lead: Be calm, be good, and be a smart decision maker.
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