In many psychometric surveys designed to consider aspects of leadership, there are often questions that reveal the degree to which a person naturally gravitates toward the front of any group. Not because of ego but because of an inbuilt or developed sense of responsibility, accountability and, what we eventually come to call leadership.
Even when seeking to be one of the participants in a group these people generally find themselves putting their hand up for roles or being called to do so. They act as a natural magnet or conductor helping the group to shape and form itself to action. They don’t rely on formal positions of power to express leadership even though they will often be holding them.
If we were to look at the core of leadership under a microscope, as if conducting a scientific study, we would likely see an expanding nest of concentric circles, circles which represent three factors: core qualities, levels of awareness, focus and orientation and a more esoteric factor, magnetic power.
Leadership is both visible and invisible. Spotting leadership in a person can happen instantaneously, and can also be more emergent, prompted by situations, contexts and opportunity. Using our scientific ‘microscope’, we can, though, see more clearly the core qualities that define a leader: compassion, courage, humility, a sense of purpose and meaning, and love…
We can also dive more deeply into what we mean by awareness, focus and orientation. Here witnessing a mindset and heart quality that are dedicated to the well-being of others and helping them to fulfil their potential. An awareness that sees beyond the challenges and toward improvements, holding a larger perspective and mindset. A focus that includes multiple levels of existence – human, planetary even beyond. An orientation that is directed toward the common good – the well-being of all – be that locally or globally depending partly on their own level of development and, of course, the third circle: magnetic power.
Magnetic power is vastly different to charisma. Magnetic power comes from the continuous and dedicated development of a person’s inner journeying. The degree to which they go deep within themselves to come into contact with their true nature, their soul nature and seek to radiate this to the world, not as an expression of ego but as an expression of powerful soul qualities animated by love.
The reason we have so many definitions of leadership in the world is because it is both concrete and spiritual – in reality it is spirit manifesting itself in the material world and that is an alchemical process which like all alchemy requires the elimination of impurities to create the highest quality product. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to advance that alchemy within ourselves through the practise of key leadership qualities; by expanding our awareness, focus and orientation; and by coming into deeper relationship with our own soul and the collective soul of all life – we might call this an expansion of consciousness.