Reflect and act on these Questions this week

First read through Part 1- 6 about how to Lead with authenticity.

I present you with the following questions and exercises to reflect over, as seeds for your own exploration and development.

1. We all have strengths to help us in life.
a) Write down three to four strengths you believe that you have as well as those you believe others see in you.

In the same way as we all have strengths to help us, we also have areas we need to develop in order to become the person we want to be and to achieve what we want in our life and leadership.
b) Write down three to four main areas for development.
c) How will you create this development?
d) Who can support and coach you along the way?

2. Do the same with your main key people at work and in your private life.
a) Write down three to four main strengths for each individual.
b) Write down three to four main development opportunities.
c) How can you support and coach them to develop?

Exercise: Draw your lifeline

Learn to know yourself better by reflecting on the most important events in your life and how they have shaped you.

Draw a line on a paper as a timeline with a 5-point scale, where each line represents 5 years. Start as far back as you can remember or you consider relevant and proceed to the present day.

At the beginning of the line put a + above the line and a – under the line.

Draw a graph where the peaks represent highlights in your life and where the valleys represent experienced setbacks. Start as far back as you can remember and proceed to the present day.

Beside each peak and valley in the curve, write a few words that identify events. Reflect on each peak and note why it was a positive experience. Do the same with every valley.

Reflections:
1. What experiences has been vital for your development?

2. How have you responded to/handled perceived valleys/set-backs?

3. What can you learn from your perceived valleys/set-backs about what is most important to you?

4. What do you take with you from your life’s journey that leads to a positive development forward?

Part 6

As human beings we have a calling to be good, to love and to be loved.

When we think, reflect, are generous and open, our lives become something more significant.

Our internal reflection increases our desire to create our future. We are aware of our need and our capacity to contribute in different situations.

We can see how we are unique with individual strengths and assets and the potential to grow and develop.

No one else can be or do precisely what we can be or do.

To summarize this week

To become a wiser leader:
• Commit to authentically getting to know who you are, where you are going and why you want to go there.
• Make sure to find time to think and listen to your inner voice—time to explore more of your true potential.
• Get connected with and align yourself with your core values.
• Develop trust and confidence in your environment through being honest, reliable, and consistent.
• Recognize that a perceived strength can be a weakness and a perceived weakness can be a strength.
• Concentrate on your strengths and see everything else as opportunities for growth and development.
• Look for the strengths in others, all as contributors to the ultimate goal.
• Realize how you are unique with strengths, assets and the potential to contribute to greater value for the benefit of all.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead through building relationships”.

I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 5

Wise and authentic leaders accept themselves as they are, with both good sides and what we perceive as weaknesses. When the sun shines with its clear light of day, there are also formed shadows.

The fear that others will detect our weaknesses and shortcomings can lead to an attempt to conceal this conscious or unconscious.

The more we dare to see our dark sides, the more secure the picture is of how we can come forth to the light, which will release energy so that we can move forward.

When we accept our self as we are, we become more relaxed and can enjoy life’s journey more.

We know that no one is perfect and that our weaknesses sometimes show, such is life. It becomes easier to laugh about our self, to forgive ourselves and others.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead with authenticity”.
I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 4

For most of us, private victories come before public victories.

We have learned to take full responsibility for our actions with the knowledge that we can choose our response to each situation we face.

In this election, between what happens to us and how we respond, lies our freedom as humans.

When we are carrying out this freedom to choose, we develop our “self” and grow.

We develop and shape our character.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead with authenticity”.
I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 3

At the heart of leading with authenticity is to act consistently from the inside and out. That we first start with our self and our character.

We develop trust and confidence in our environment through being honest, reliable, and consistent.

We will further enhance our relationships by nurturing in ourselves the ability to be more understanding, compassionate and responsive to others.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead with authenticity”.
I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 2

Being authentic leaders we are well rooted in our selves with knowledge about who we are, our personal values, talents and strengths…

Increasing our awareness about our own self calls for reflection. We step back regularly to examine more thoroughly the way we are and the way we lead. We strengthen our character.

In the fast-paced world we live in today, we make sure to find time to think and listen to our inner voice—time to explore more of our internal resources and to discover our true potential.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead with authenticity”.
I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 1

Wise and authentic leaders’ know that they will be successful in the long run, when they grow in understanding how to effectively lead them selves.

Leadership begins inside the leader. We always bring our personality into our leadership and the perception of the circumstances we face. Our views on life, our values, attitudes and habits will influence our actions.

When we grow in wisdom about who we are, where we are going and why we want to go there we will lead with more authenticity.

Being more authentic broadens the base to lead and affect us to reach long-term success with others.

The authentic leader, with his or her strong presence, has the capacity to see, listen and connect to other people; which will give deeper access to their thoughts, intelligence and feelings. This will grow the leaders ability in how to inspire people, and give messages that will stimulate development and acting in a new way.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead with authenticity”.
I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Reflect and act on these Questions this week

First read through Part 1- 6 about how to Lead through building relationships.

I present you with the following questions and exercises to reflect over, as seeds for your own exploration and development.

I: Draw a picture of four to five of your key relationships. (i.e., family, relatives, friends, business colleague, key-people in your team, etc.) Then write down for each relationship:

1. What is positive about this relationship today?

2. What would you like to develop?

3. How are you going to build up that relationship and the way you communicate?

II: Think about the people who have had a positive influence on your life and development. These might include a manager, teacher, parent, relative, friend, sports leader, etc.
• In what way did this person contribute to your development?
• What was it that was so special about this person?
• What did you gain from this relationship?
• What have you given further to others?
• How did it feel to cooperate with this person?
• How did this leader affect your self-confidence and picture of yourself?
• What leadership skills did this person use to get you to perform as well as possible?
• Did the person make you feel that you were appreciated and respected?
• What do you admire about this person?

III: Add any personal qualities/characteristics that you yourself would like to develop:

Part 6

Wise leaders know that conflicts between people are natural. They arise in all relationships. To think differently is healthy. No one has by himself all the truth.

If we show that we really are listening, asking questions, trying to understand others’ standpoints and reasons, we will probably come closer to a solution. With a soft answer, we can help resolve these differences of opinion.

Solomon also says: “Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time!”

Wise leaders carefully consider when, where and how they are most likely to get a good response in supporting people with feedback. When someone’s action or behavior does not work as can be expected, wise leaders give feedback between four eyes in close connection with the situation or event. They support and strengthen the person through being calm, patient, specific, and constructive.

Praise is one of the best forms of feedback. When we as humans get encouragement and feel secure, we open up for development and growth. In such a climate, it will be a natural part of our daily work to provide and receive feedback.

A wise leader’s objective is to ensure their employee’s success. They feel a personal satisfaction to see others develop and grow to reach common and individual objectives.

They are building long-term, trusting, and positive relations for mutual development and success. Their mission is value based, to be part of and create a better world.

To summarize this week

To become a wiser leader:
• Make people in your environment feel valuable, motivated, and respected
• Focus on the good of your people and develop their strengths and potential
• Be aware of the power that words have and use your language with care always focusing on the positive and constructive
• Be authentic, honest and straightforward in your communication
• Praise and compliment often from a genuine and honest point of view
• Take active part of the experience of others
• Be a good and more active listener with the intent to first understand, then to be understood
• Create more of a dialogue with people in your surroundings – ask many questions
• When you give feedback, first carefully consider how to best express your thoughts, then choose the right moment
• Be open, transparent and sensitive to criticism – there is always something to learn!
• See conflicts as a natural part of all relationships
• Seek to understand others point of view by asking sincere questions
• Cultivate a genuine love for people building long-term, trusting, and positive relations for mutual development and success

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead through building relationships”.

I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad

Part 5

Wise leaders know that nothing affects the quality of their relationships more than their willingness to listen to others. They know the importance of being good listeners. First they seek to understand, then to be understood.

Real listening creates trust and trust is what leadership and relations are built on.

Solomon also says: “The wise man learns by listening”.

Wise leaders also know that they learn from what other says to them. They are keen to find out what other people have to say. They are sincerely curious and ask many questions.

There are two very good reasons for listening to other people. We are learning ourselves this way, and people open up to us if we listen to them. When we listen, we are showing respect for our co-workers and fellow man.

About “The Key Leadership Principles”

This weeks Key Leadership Principle is “Lead through building relationships”.

I will write one thought for every day during this week and then give you the opportunity to reflect on some important questions on how to Lead through building relationships the following week.

This is the format I will use to inspire your learning, releasing your talent and potential. My hope is that you will come along with your thoughts along the way.

I wish you the best in your life and leadership,

Per Winblad