Newer Dimensions: A Look at the Concept of Abundant Leadership
The story is sometimes interpreted as the story of those who wielded tremendous power over the people and had a distinguished Aura or Halo around them. This Aura, or we can say a marked Personality, glued the Ordinary to the Wearer’s Persona in an unspoken chain of unquestioned Loyalty, Awe and Inspiration. However, what distinguished the Bearer of such power was not his external characteristics, but his inner mindset, thought process, courage, entrepreneurial ability, perseverance in the face of adversity, etc. We often identify that Person as a Leader.
A natural derivative of the discussion above implies that leadership is about mindset. Now, in the post-covid world, the paramount importance of mindset cannot be denied.
Abundant Leadership, in effect, begins with the concept of abundance. Think of it this way: What if your leadership involved a relentless flow of optimism and a corresponding presence of options and opportunities everywhere? A self-confident and self-believing leader will definitely vouch for such a scenario, where he shares his secrets of success, believes in joint progress, and is not threatened by the fear of losing his competitive edge in the market by spreading his hard – wisdom gained. However, a more common and expected scenario is for a leader to become defensive or assume they know it all. Especially in capricious economic times, such as after the devastating covid pandemic, the trend shifts toward conserving resources, panicking at even minor problems, or holding on to assets with all your might.
This is where Abundant Leadership comes into play. By managing emotions, rebooting ingrained behaviors and thought patterns, and working on mindsets, an entire scenario that previously seemed bleak and hopeless could be transformed. An Abundant Leader focuses on their own strengths and abilities, and at the same time leads others along in the tide of abundance, while also fearlessly facing obstacles with determination and courage. An Abundant Leader remains ready to walk the path of self-awareness that lasts a lifetime. By affecting the inner realm of feelings, an Abundant Leader can manifest what lesser leaders cannot.
The lesser leaders here are often those identified with a ‘scarcity mentality’. A leader with a scarcity mindset perceives the world in terms of what is missing. They hold notions that the world’s resources are limited and growth in one must necessarily mean a corresponding decline in another. They build walls around themselves and lead with fear, which they also transmit to their teams, stripping them of their confidence. They believe that nothing is enough, nor ever will be. They are hesitant about innovation and risk and shy away from anything that doesn’t seem feasible or realistic. This underlies ‘The Crucial Difference’ and Abundance Leaders succeed here hands down.
So what are those crucial behaviors and mindsets that set Abundant Leaders apart from the rest? As mentioned, Abundant Leaders work from the perspective of growth and abundance. They are free from any insecurities that could make them shy and self-actualizing. They believe in the growth of the community and the success of their tribe. They aspire to leave behind a legacy of abundance and tend to bequeath more value to the world than they have taken from it. Believe me, almost all entrepreneurs, business men and women, executives, managers, etc., are super successful. they have this same abundance mentality and thus attract even more wealth and success in life and at the same time also help fulfill the dreams of others. Let’s now describe some distinctive behaviors of abundant leaders that keep them going even in times of crisis and uncertainty.
- give credit to others: Abundant Leaders tend to put the spotlight on their co-contributors while they themselves love basking in the glory of joint success. Fame matters little to them and they rather bet on the enrichment of ideas and knowledge.
- Request tickets: Abundant Leaders sincerely believe in the wisdom and knowledge of others and do not shy away from asking for input. They prefer to arrive at the best solution through active participation and sharing the feats of success.
- They agree Confidence: Abundant Leaders know the importance of trusting others, as they know that to achieve the best results, an environment of trust is an absolute necessity. This does not imply that they are gullible or that they do not recognize risks or failures, but it shows the priority they give to a culture of trust, which begins with them.
- They take the time to train others: Abundant leaders like to pass on their knowledge and experience by helping others achieve their goals. Such an exercise in coaching others not only creates general abundance for all, but is perceived as a great reward for the Abundant Leaders themselves.
- Connect People in their Networks: By having a helping attitude, abundant leaders become a means of connecting those who come for help to their network, thereby creating a community of like-minded individuals geared toward growth and success.
- They reach out to others to meet unexpressed needs: Abundant Leaders remain deeply sensitive to the needs of others and when they encounter someone in difficulty, they do not hesitate to reach out or offer words of encouragement or advice.
Abundant Leadership is tomorrow’s thing. Especially in today’s testing times, shaping a culture centered on abundance and Growth and Success oriented minds, while holding hands and participating in the progress of others, Abundant Leaders will not only be able to survive but to flourish.
