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The seven traits of conscious leaders

ARTICLE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To hold on to top talent and attract the best people, leaders need to deliberately create and
maintain a culture of engagement, empowerment and inclusion. Conscious companies are
ushering in a new style of leadership that puts people first – the emphasis is on inspiring
employees to do their best work in an environment of optimal engagement. The result? A
highly engaged workforce that boosts productivity and bottom-line performance. Read this
article for an insight into the traits that define conscious leaders.

As organisations enter a brave new world marked by digital disruption, globalisation and the
emergence of the millennial workforce, speed and innovation have become critical success factors.
Only a highly engaged workforce can respond to disruptive forces with the kind of speed and agility
required to maintain competitive advantage. Creating a culture of engagement that cascades through
the entire organisation is the sole responsibility of executive leadership. And it’s only possible if
leaders are willing to re-evaluate and redefine their leadership styles.

In the last few years, there has been a paradigm shift from autocratic, self-serving leadership to
what has been termed ‘conscious leadership’. More than a mere buzzword, conscious leadership has
become a key driver of productivity and top-line growth. But what exactly is it? In short, it’s a leadership
style that promotes a duality of awareness: 1) awareness of self, and an implicit understanding of
one’s motivations and higher purpose, and 2) awareness of the impact one’s thoughts, words and
actions have on the outside world.

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The seven traits of conscious leaders ARTICLE

Self-aware leaders embody the following characteristics:

• Comfortable with their strengths and not crippled by their weaknesses
• Able to recognise how feelings can influence actions and therefore performance
• Transparent and authentic – their actions are aligned with their values
• Able to separate perceptions, biases and prejudices from the real situation
• Aware of their emotions and conscious of when emotions cloud their judgement

It is only through a deep awareness of their capabilities, talents and potential shortcomings that
leaders can develop a true understanding of how they influence performance, and how their actions
impact stakeholders. Conscious leaders take a holistic view of the organisation, and recognise that
stakeholders are not only their colleagues, but also their suppliers, partners, customers, shareholders,
markets, and the environment at large in which the organisation operates.

These leaders are able to see the bigger picture and have a deep understanding of the organisation’s
higher purpose. They want to inspire their colleagues and direct reports to reach their full potential,
knowing that people who live their purpose are happier, and find their work more meaningful and
rewarding. It is this level of engagement that contributes to the growth and development of the
organisation.

How conscious leadership drives engagement

A highly engaged workforce can increase
innovation, productivity and bottom-line
performance. Companies with a greater number
of engaged employees typically have lower
operating costs, higher customer satisfaction and
higher profits. As a result, employee engagement
has become a top business priority for senior
executives.

But organisations are facing a global engagement A highly engaged workforce can increase
crisis: a recent Gallup report states that only 13% innovation, productivity and bottom-line
of employees worldwide may be fully engaged.
performance.
Gallup’s research indicates that US companies with
the highest proportion of engaged versus actively disengaged employees (averaging a ratio of nine
to one) delivered 147% higher on earnings per share (EPS) than their direct competitors. The reverse
also holds true: corporations with the poorest ratios (less than three to one) achieved 2% lower on EPS.
Actively disengaged employees cost American companies between US$450 billion and US$550 billion
in lost productivity per year; in Germany, the estimated range is €112 billion to €138 billion.

These figures prove beyond any doubt that a committed, participative workforce is a key organisational
asset that boosts the bottom line. But it all starts with a focus on people. Conscious leaders understand
that people are the driving force behind profit. It’s the conscious leader’s duty to inspire and motivate;
to ensure that employees feel valued and empowered to deliver on the organisation’s mission.

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This holds especially true for Millennials, who change jobs more
frequently than previous generations. They seek employment
that offers fulfilment and flexibility – and, in most cases, it is
not incentives but engagement that will secure a millennial
employee’s loyalty. Millennials want to be acknowledged
and appreciated – they thrive in an environment of optimal
engagement and have high expectations of their leaders. For
these employees, the focus is less on profit and more on purpose.

Conscious leadership not only bolsters engagement levels within the organisation, it also creates a
culture that attracts top talent. CEOs regularly cite attracting and retaining top talent as their number
one challenge, and rightly so: losing key personnel results in a disruption in productivity, and finding
suitable replacements is often time-consuming and costly. To hold on to top talent, and attract the
best people, leaders need to consciously create and maintain a culture of engagement, empowerment
and inclusion – and it all starts at the very top.

The seven traits of conscious leaders

Conscious leaders act with integrity, authenticity, curiosity, openness and a deep sense of responsibility.
Here are seven steps you can take to kick-start your journey towards becoming a conscious leader.

1. Act with integrity

Integrity is a vital component of decision-making. Leaders who act with integrity are committed to
doing the right thing, under any circumstances. They are honest and ethical, and their dependable
leadership helps build trust and credibility within the organisation.

Leaders with integrity exhibit the following characteristics:

• They are honourable and responsible
• They are in tune with their feelings
• They speak their truth in a kind and respectful manner
• They keep their promises and uphold commitments

2. Develop your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a set of abilities that allows people to manage their emotions and
behaviour and successfully navigate their interactions with others. Research shows that emotionally
intelligent organisations have a culture that is characterised by improved morale, employee
satisfaction and productivity; return on investment in change efforts; and success in achieving desired
performance goals.

Psychologist and journalist Daniel Goleman believes that emotional intelligence is made up of two
components:
• Intrapersonal intelligence: People with intrapersonal intelligence are in touch with their
thoughts, feelings and motivations, and are also aware of how these can impact those around
them.
• Interpersonal intelligence: People with interpersonal intelligence are sensitive to the moods
and feelings of others; they connect with people easily and are empathetic.

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3. Be authentic
Conscious leaders are self-actualised individuals who are not afraid to reveal their imperfections,
admit their mistakes or ask for forgiveness when required. Whereas some may interpret this behaviour
as showing weakness, the opposite is true: when leaders show their human side, their employees
trust them more. A leader who is willing to be vulnerable and authentic inspires others to be more
authentic too, which has a positive effect on engagement.

4. Be courageous
Courage is linked to authenticity – it takes courage to reveal one’s true self without fear of judgement.
Courageous leaders uphold their convictions and maintain their integrity, even when it may make them
or their decisions unpopular. There will be times when a leader’s integrity is tested, and it is in these times
that courage will drive and guide decision-making.

Courageous leaders are always willing to speak their truth and have candid conversations with their
employees. They don’t shy away from difficult conversations with their teams, or shrink back from the
awkwardness of potentially unpleasant confrontations.

5. Cultivate a state of curiosity

Curiosity inspires conscious leaders to try new things and
embrace innovation – these leaders are always looking for a
better, more efficient way to do something. They are eager to
learn, develop and improve their skills and are open to ideas
and opinions that may be contrary to theirs. Curiosity involves
breaking down barriers and challenging traditional thinking –
the curious leader inspires creativity and experimentation, and
entertains new perspectives by asking “Why?” and “What if?”.

6. Develop self-awareness
Conscious leaders are in tune with their thoughts, feelings, motivations and fears. They know what they
need to be happy, overcome adversity, stay motivated and keep evolving. They know when they are
acting from a place of fear or anger, and don’t resist these negative emotions. Instead, they explore these
emotions by asking self-reflexive questions such as: “Why am I feeling this way? What has caused it? What
can I do about it? Does this impact anybody else? What would be the best way to handle this? What are
all the possible outcomes of the various decisions that I could make about this?”.

Self-awareness does not come naturally to everybody – rather, it is a learnt behaviour. To cultivate self-
awareness, it is best to set aside time to develop it. John Mackey, a key proponent of conscious leadership
and CEO of Whole Foods Market, recommends various self-awareness exercises such as breathing
exercises, meditation, yoga, prayer, affirmations and t’ai chi.

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7. Adopt a deep sense of responsibility

Taking responsibility does not mean always shouldering the blame or even apportioning it to others.
Rather, it means helping to take corrective action to address problems or mistakes, ensuring, as far as
possible, that all stakeholders benefit from one’s actions and, ultimately, the actions of the organisation.
Conscious leaders strive to provide the required support and guidance to their people, thereby
enhancing personal growth and development. These leaders take responsibility for results not being
achieved and attribute successes to the team. They are committed to working in the best interests of
the organisation.

Conclusion
By actively focusing on
As the workforce transforms, so too must its leaders. The
conscious leadership movement is an opportunity for leaders creating an environment
to evolve beyond an authoritarian, intimidating leadership style of optimal engagement,
and embrace the role of servant and supporter. More than that, conscious leaders can create
conscious leaders have the power to inspire, motivate and bring
the foundation for lasting
out the very best in their people. By actively focusing on creating
an environment of optimal engagement, conscious leaders can business success.
create the foundation for lasting business success.

Disclaimer: This resource has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute CCi are the people behind
professional advice. You should not act upon the information contained herein without obtaining specific professional
advice. Competitive Capabilities International (CCi) does not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care
for any consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this
resource or for any decision based on it. www.traccsolution.com

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