Guaranteed Leadership Influence with these Intentional Behaviors. Interested?



Amidst the varied expectations of the business world and the struggle for meeting most of them like a professional can be very exhausting. Many leaders at different stages of their careers have mentioned about their struggles to me during those in-depth coaching conversations.


Mechanisms or tools like 360 feedback help in giving some insights but not necessarily the most accurate ones. However, there is a common theme around all the tools that you might engage in - it is the behaviors.

The Connection between Leadership and Behaviors

I can't emphasize enough that leadership is relational and will always be. It involves people and their behaviors towards each other and behaviors rule the fate of any relationship




This connection between leadership, behaviors, and relationships defines and develops the level of influence a leader can operate with.

Every person's mind is programmed in a certain way based on several factors - present and past environments and experiences, beliefs and values that overall create mindsets. Since the programming happens at a subconscious level, many of our behaviors and habits go on autopilot with or without realization. This means in our work environment, we will come across multiple personalities on autopilot behavioral patterns that do not realize that they are also expected to behave in alignment with certain organizational norms to succeed. But is that a big problem? 

Intentional Behaviors

Leadership demands some winning habits and behaviors that can help every leader achieve what they aspire for. It starts from being intentionalResearch suggests that intentional behaviors can be programmed and integrated as necessary to adapt to the environment and outcomes. Here's how an autopilot behavioral system and an intentional behavioral system look like. 

Autopilot Behavioral System
  • Fast, intuitive emotional self
  • Automatic habits stemming out of programmed thinking and feeling
  • Make some predictable errors
  • Make average to good decisions most of the times
 Intentional Behavioral System
  • Being mindful, using rational thinking with reasoning and logic - conscious 
  • Can be mentally exhausting 
  • Can be programmed and re-programmed
  • Provides enhanced adaptation to new environments - potentially avoiding errors 
  • More intentional decisions towards intentional outcomes  
With practice and time, you can use the intentional behavioral system to change your autopilot thinking, feeling, and behavioral patterns.

What are some intentional behaviors that a leader can integrate into practice to increase leadership influence?

As mentioned in my other blog post about "Outact Matters", I have explained how outer actions or behaviors are important to mobilize the inner transformation to get results and continuous improvement. 

Below is a list of some behaviors that any leader can intentionally integrate into his or her practice and expand leadership influence.  
Source: Elizabeth Dorrance Hall

These behaviors if genuinely and intentionally adapted can be extremely powerful in creating a strong leadership presence and enrich relationships. 

Intentionality will become effective when these behaviors are practiced with focus and repeated several times until they transform into habits. They are simple but not easy. You don't need any tools and assessments to figure these ones out. All you need is the willingness to integrate them and create conditions that foster achievement and well-being for yourself and others. 

Here's my favorite thought to end this bite-sized but powerful learning:


"An intentional behavior can be very powerful and authentic. Don't fake it till you make it. But PRACTICE it till you LIVE IT."



Expand your leadership capacity and succeed with LEDx Learning and Leadership. Read more of our bite-sized learning.


Author:

Sahil Sharma
Talent, Learning & Leadership Development Professional | Certified Leadership Coach
CTDP | MBA


For consultation and services, contact us at www.ledxlearning.com



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