The inspiration of inspired leaders

Dr. John Demartini

There exists an inborn potential for leadership inside each of us. This potential may be expressed at different levels and in different ways within our individual social spheres of influence. And each of us inherently desires to express this inherent leader in some form or capacity because we are then generally rewarded with living a more honoured, privileged and/or extraordinary lives. Our leadership naturally emerges either at a young age or may be developed as we become more challenged and eventually more clear and congruent with our true values and intentions. As leaders, we become inspired by a clear vision of service and direction and receive the added advantages of inner fulfilment and the satisfaction of being able to inspire others to also visualize and crystallize their desires or dreams. Of course with our emergence into leadership we experience added responsibilities and more challenging decisions.

Dr. John Demartini of the Demartini Institute has spent many decades studying the lives of great, inspired leaders and those he has studied, read about and met have many traits in common. Some of these character traits you will probably recognise in yourself.

What Makes an Inspired Leader?

Inspired leaders are unstoppable, true visionaries who desire to contribute to the world and make a true difference. They are inspired from within more than motivated from without. Their vocation generally matches their vacation. They love pursuing and fulfilling their vision and mission. Their service is not considered work to them. They are new paradigm makers - not traditionalists that follow the average or the norm. They are therefore trend-setters not trend-followers. Their authority transcends outer stagnations of any previous authority. They have congruency between their ambitious intentions and inner core values. This is one of the key hallmarks of their great leadership.

Inspired leaders love impacting or transforming businesses or societies, serve ever greater quantities of people and initiate ever greater numbers of rewards. They are clear on what service they desire to contribute to the world and have acquired specialized knowledge and skills to be able to do so. They have overcome their fears of speaking out and sharing their mission, vision and message, and have mastered the art of delegating to and enrolling others. They have also intuitively learned to sell their ideas and objectives in terms of other peoples’ priorities, needs or values. They save and invest their acquired resources to build momentum. They are congruently committed to their outcomes, and they have a no turning back mentality.

Although inspired leaders vary in their outer personas, their inner drives are similar and their willingness to transcend any defeat makes them climb, tunnel or go around any and every obstacle or mountain. They are willing to breakthrough any temporary perceptions of loss or gain that diminish their power and use both as refining feedback. They just pursue their visions, regardless of support or challenge or pains or pleasures. They calculate their risks, make quick decisions, take the appropriate actions and persevere. Their challenges are their sources of fuel and their obstacles are their stimulating companions. They are even willing to follow their vision to the point where they break any current and stagnant rules or systems of mediocrity. They are ‘unborrowed’ visionaries allowing no outer influences to constrain or dictate their inspired direction.

True inspired leaders embrace their daily paradoxes. They see both sides of opinion polls equally, and constantly balance their perceptions and then inwardly decide. They do not see things as only black or white. They understand the grey or synthesis of these two extreme sides and embrace both as they move forward.

Everyone has a unique leader inside them, but unless an individual sets their sails in the direction of their highest values or priorities, their leadership will not emerge and become discovered by themselves or others.

Inspired Leaders Can Arise Anywhere

It is important to note that the area of their inspired leadership may not be only in the three areas that are traditionally or socially acknowledged which are business, finance or political. It may be in sports, social, beauty, in family or spiritual matters. Leaders can arise in any or all areas of life.

Inspired leaders tend to naturally arise in the areas of their highest interest or priority. If a person does not place a high value on business, finance or providing a viable product, service or idea to a market, then to expect them to emerge as a leader in business would be unrealistic. However, that same person may excel in another area of life according to their true highest values and aspirations.

The most important element of inspired leadership is the congruency between their goals or intentions and their highest values or priorities. When their goals and values are aligned, their greatest creativity and productivity emerges. Authentic, original ideas and great companies and organizations are born out of such congruency - sometimes referred to as integrity.

Inspired leaders:

• Desire and do contribute their unique and meaningful service to the world
• Have intentions that are congruently aligned with their highest values or priorities
• Envision their outcome, act upon it and inspire others to participate in its fulfilment
• Do not subordinate to the outer opinions of others unless they are seen to be desired mentors
• Stay true to what inspires them from within
• Transform their outer world by their inner intentions and actions
• Understand they will be equally praised and criticized for their actions because of the paradox of social value systems
• Can endure great levels of praise and reprimand without over reaction and respond with poise
• Love to continuously raise the bar and excel at excellence
• Seek inspiring challenges or problems to work on because they love to grow
• Are trustworthy to their mission or cause
• Are able to quickly adapt to a changing environment
• Courageously transforms any perceived losses or setbacks into advantages
• Understand that temporary motivation is not a long-term solution and that clarity and inspiration is more of the thermometer of their organization’s health
• Value serving others enough and rewarding their organizations enough to make profits and build liquidity for the sake of sustainability
• Understand that employees are not loyal to their company; they are only loyal to their own individual priorities or values and getting their highest values met
• Know they will have growing challenges as they continue to expand their vision
• Know that if they want to have an international organization – they will need to have a global vision
• Have the ability to masterfully balance their emotions or imbalanced perceptions and remain centered amongst the storms
• Know that whoever has the most certainty rules the game

Inspired leaders inspire others to maximize their awareness and potential. They catalyze chain reactions of inspired contribution. Inspired leaders continue to direct the world’s destiny.

Reprinted with the permission of Dr. John Demartini, one of the world’s leading authorities on human behaviour and personal development. He is the founder of the Demartini Institute, a private research and education organization with a curriculum of over 72 different courses covering multiple aspects of human development. Listen to regularly updated podcasts delivered by Dr. Demartini and the Demartini Institute that highlight different aspects of leadership. Contact info@drdemartini.co.za for further information.