4 Marks of Boundless, Fearless and Unstoppable Leaders
What do leaders such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Billy Graham have in common? How about Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Princess Diana, John Maxwell, Stephen R. Covey, all have in common? Each person mentioned was or still is a modern-day boundless leader.
I could easily list more than a hundred such leaders, some world famous others only known within their spheres of influence, but each is boundless fearless and seemingly unstoppable. The truth is these highly influential leaders are ordinary people who have captured a sense of destiny.
Capturing a sense of destiny enables a leader to understand that they’re involved in something greater than themselves. A boundless leader’s sense of purpose is strong enough to keep them thinking intergenerationally. They become highly intentional with building something of value that will live on long after they’re gone.
4 Marks of Boundless Fearless Unstoppable Leaders
#1 – Boundless Leaders are Big Picture People Boundless leaders live by a vision of the future that many may not believe is possible. They have deep convictions and set high standards for themselves. They see potential in others that they may not see in themselves, and want to help them develop it. It’s their boundless, fearless and unstoppable attitude that captures the imagination of so many people making them role models.
#2 – Boundless Leaders Live Their Vision For the boundless leader, tomorrow is now. They have a compelling vision and know that capturing that vision depends on what they do each day. Vision must guide what and how you think. You must be living that vision now. Boundless leaders are so intentional and their vision so clear that they can set their daily agenda by it. Your whole life must come into alignment with your vision. You must disregard anything that can divert your attention from your life’s purpose.
#3 – Boundless Leaders Always Exceed Expectations “There are no traffic jams on the extra-mile” – Zig Ziglar As a boundless leader, you draw energy from working with your people. Going the extra mile for others is part of your DNA. You find yourself coaching, instructing and encouraging members of your team. You don’t mind giving individual attention to your team members because boundless leaders are usually hands on. Exceeding expectations is more than something you do; it’s who you are.
#4 – Boundless Leaders are Level 4 Leaders John C. Maxwell states; “Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. That is what leaders do on Level 4. They use their position, relationships, and productivity to invest in their followers and develop them until those followers become leaders in their own right. The result is reproduction; Level 4 leaders reproduce themselves.”
“If you believe that you have discovered what you’re supposed to do, this creates passion. It makes you stand against and overcome opposition, resistance, criticism, and all other obstacles. Passion is ignited by a revelation of where you want to go with your life.” – Dr. Myles Munroe
Manage Yourself and be Intentional
“Stopping to think about where it’s all going will save us from having to stop and think about where it all went.” – JSP
I have three simple guidelines that help me stay aligned with those things that fuel my passion. Everything I’m most passionate about comes from my vision and a sense of purpose. I hope they will be of some help to you as well. I’ve learned these from Peter Drucker; they are empowering.
I’m always asking “What do I need to be doing now?”
I’m always asking “What’s best for the organization?”
Developing detailed action plans are a must.
I must take full responsibility for decisions.
I stay focused on opportunities, not problems (I solve those).
I prepare and preside over productive meetings so I won’t waste my team’s time.
Be Intentional with Your Relationships Develop a mutually beneficial network of friends and colleagues. Your family and friends must be your solid support system. Your relationships have an accumulative impact on your thinking and emotional response to life. A strong circle of honest, dependable people helps you to think through issues and manage your emotions.
[1] “The 5 Levels of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell
*** This article was authored by John Picarello, Chief Leadership Officer at Lions Pride Leadership Co.***