In the realm of international leadership, a vital aspect often goes unnoticed: the balance between skill development and the enhancement of mindset and consciousness, a concept referred to as vertical development.
Leaders typically focus on enhancing skills, which directly impact the bottom line. These skills are crucial for motivating teams, maintaining clarity of purpose, managing stakeholders, and driving innovation. However, without a robust mindset to guide their application, skills alone are insufficient.
Vertical development is about broadening how leaders perceive the world and apply their skills within it. This development occurs in three distinct levels:
- Competitive Mindset: At this level, leaders view the world as a competitive battleground. Success is measured by outperforming others, and decisions are driven by a win-lose mentality. While this mindset can fuel short-term achievements, it often limits collaborative potential and long-term growth.
- Catalyst Mindset: Here, leaders start to see the value in collaboration and collective success. They shift from a win-lose to a win-win perspective, recognizing that true leadership involves fostering growth and success beyond just their individual or immediate team’s achievements. This mindset encourages innovation through cooperation and shared vision.
- Strategist Mindset: At the highest level, leaders adopt a holistic view. They consider long-term impacts, sustainable solutions, and the broader ecosystem in which they operate. This mindset is about understanding and leveraging interconnectedness, leading with a vision that encompasses not just immediate goals but also the well-being and development of the wider community and environment.
The analogy of a soccer player illustrates this well: without skills, the player can’t engage effectively in the game, similar to a leader without a developed skillset. However, a player with strong skills but a limited mindset may miss out on strategic opportunities that a broader perspective would reveal.
For effective international leadership, a harmonious blend of skills and mindset is indispensable. Leaders must refine their abilities and simultaneously expand their consciousness and perspective. This comprehensive approach ensures leaders are not just competent in their roles but also visionary strategists, capable of recognizing and leveraging the full spectrum of opportunities.
In conclusion, the essence of vertical development in leadership is about integrating skill with an evolving mindset. While skills determine what leaders do, their mindset dictates how they see the world and the opportunities within it. Effective leadership, especially in the international arena, demands this duality – not just knowing the rules of the game but understanding and evolving with the game itself.
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Sources:
- Korn Ferry on Mindful Leadership: Mindful leadership: the importance of self-awareness
- Carl Jung – The Balance of Personality: Carl Jung – The Balance of Personality
- Navalent on Cultivating Joy in Leadership: Cultivating Joy in Leadership: The Importance of Becoming a Source of Joy