The True North Leadership Series – 1

The North Star or Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation known as the Little Dipper. It is called that way because of the relative position it occupies relative to Earth’s axis. It is the most important for astronavigation as it is located directly over the North Pole and will always accurately point to the north. As the Earth rotates, the North Star stays almost fixed, while the other stars appear to rotate around it.

“It is a reliable way to find the direction...!”

In business, customers show the place to go; employees are the force that will help us to get there; but we need leaders to lead the journey toward our destination. Although there are different ways about how people discover and implement their True North, there is only one North, and leaders are the North Star that will lead the way. Leadership matters, and it matters a great deal, to our organizations and institutions, to the people who work in them, and to the people who are served by them: Our customers. For our society to function effectively, we need authentic leaders who can encourage people to perform at their best and step up and lead themselves. This is the only way to shift our companies from short-term results oriented into sustainable companies that will prosper and be successful in the long run.

We need people in all walks of life leading authentically. Though to do so, they need to discover their authentic leadership.

Becoming an authentic leader is hard work. The process is not much different from becoming a world-class musician or a successful athlete. To become great at anything, you must leverage the unique strengths you were born with while acknowledging and learning from your shortcomings.

There are no quick fixes or easy steps to leadership. Unfortunately, development does not work that way. To realize your potential as a leader, you need a systematic plan to support your growth. Through our articles, our goal is to offer you a clear and detailed path to guide your development. This is a lifelong process, and if you have not started, it is not late, do it now!

As you embark in this journey, consider these fundamental truths:

1. You do not have to be born with the characteristics or traits of a leader.
2. You can discover your authentic leadership right now.
3. You do not have to wait for a tap on your shoulder.
4. You do not have to be at the top of your organization or occupy a hierarchical position.
5. You can step up to lead at any point in your life: You are never too young or too old.
6. Leadership is a choice, not a title.

Every week, we will be sharing “A True North Capsule” that will offer you a series of exercises encouraging you to delve deep into your experiences, discover your passions, and develop into an authentic leader.

Then, you will work on five key elements of development: Self-awareness, values and principles, motivations and sweet spots, support teams, and how to lead an integrated life.

Finally, you will experience what it feels like to make the fundamental shift from “I” to “We”, craft a leadership purpose statement, and understanding the importance of empowering others in a global context.

Once the work is completed, you will be ready to create your own Personal Leadership Development Plan. Which is a dynamic plan that can be used as a lifelong guide to remain oriented toward your True North.

We have witnessed deep and lasting transformation in leaders who have taken this journey as they shaped their organizations and institutions for the new era. Whether they are leading in business, government, education, or religion, they discovered that the journey was not only about becoming more authentic themselves, but about empowering everyone they touch to become authentic leaders as well.

Your dedication to discovering your True North will make this world a better, richer, and more sustainable place for all of us, and certainly this effect expands to your business to prosper and to become more sustainable and successful.

We are here to help!