In Applied Wisdom, Jim Morgan writes “To lead successfully you must establish the qualities of your leadership and the character of the organization.” The higher you rise as a leader the more your personal behavior and attitudes become the basis for your organization’s culture — and its success.
In The Diamond Cutter, by Geshe Michael Roach with Lama Christie McNally, a fascinating leadership book based on Buddhist principles and writings, the authors go a step further, saying that as a leader, your words and behaviors create imprints in your mind and, depending on their nature, these imprints generate either success, or problems for you and your organization. What is in your mind will ultimately create the world you experience.
As an example, a leader who makes snarky comments about competitors – or engages in any kind of divisive talk – is planting seeds of strife in their own organization. Similarly, a leader who exaggerates, even in small ways, is creating conditions where others will not believe them, even when they are telling the truth. This is more than a direct cause and effect relationship; it is about the seeds in your mind bearing fruit much later.
You can create positive imprints by carefully and consistently being completely honest in your words and respectful in your speech. This is the principle of respect and trust. We see it as the foundation of all successful collaborations and organizations.
What seeds are you committed to planting?
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