You Do Not Lead Separate Lives
Written by: Andrew David McDowell, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I find it interesting when I hear people talk about their personal, business, and family lives as if they are inherently very different from each other. Nothing could be further from the truth.
All Areas of our Life Involve Human Beings
All of these categories of life have one thing in common…human beings. We each are human beings. Our work life involves human beings, whether they are bosses or work colleagues. Parents are in a relationship with another adult human being and bring up little human beings. Because of this, we are surrounded by the need for Leadership. The leadership of ourselves and the Leadership of our relationships.
Leadership in all areas of our life starts with self-leadership
To live out our purpose, we must lead ourselves in our life. To create the best of ourselves and create the life we intended to live. We must understand and live out our Why, How, and What? to the best of our ability. For to do so creates the joy and happiness in our life we all long for.
Our Leadership is a reflection of our self-leadership
To be the best parent we can be, we must model for our children how to lead their own life by showing them how we do it for ourselves. Even though your children were created by your spouse and yourself and you have a legal requirement to keep them safe, it does not mean you should project on them your own regrets, desires, and fears. They are separate human beings that have their own life journey to figure out their own Why, How, and What? To lead children means to influence them to own their life and live out their purpose as they were created to do and not control them beyond teaching them social norms and proper values to be productive members of society. Parenting is about modeling not controlling.
The Number One Job of a Leader is to build self-leaders
In your work life, you should find a company or create a company that has a Why, How, and What? that aligns with your own. If you desire to be a Leader in a company, be sure to understand each of your team members' Why, How, and What? to influence and align them in proper directions that will contribute to your Company’s Why, How, and What? If they are in the wrong place, talk to them about moving to a different job title, division, or company to get the alignment that will energize and engage them. Your job as a Leader is to influence and grow others to live out their Why, How, and What in such a way that you get their best efforts and engagement. To get the best out of them, you must present your best self in your efforts.
Leadership is an inward journey not outward
It starts with ourselves, understanding the Why, How, and What? of our life. This then allows us to be leaders of our own lives. We can’t lead and influence others until this is done. Regardless of the situation…Work, Family, Friends…it is all the same. Leading yourself allows you to lead others regardless of the type of relationships that are at play. We are all Leaders…Self Leaders.
Andrew David McDowell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Andy is an engineer by trade and a creative by nature. He spent 22 years with the Boeing Company, where he always felt more like a life coach than a boss. In 2002, he began his journey into entrepreneurship within a Corporation when he was asked to develop an Airspace Design Consulting business from scratch that would serve the global government market. Andy has a Bachelor’s Degree from Georgia Tech in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State. Naturally, his aviation work took him around the world and enabled him to work on high-profile projects ‒ such as preparing the Beijing and Sochi Airports for their respective Olympic Games.
