Are you an intentional leader?

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." JFK

Each action we take, each contact we make, is born out of intention. We have the power to create our lives from the inside out. If we want to connect with other people, you have to be intentional about it. James Allen, the British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry, said “Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit.” 

If we want to grow and develop as leaders, we have to be intentional in our relations with others. We can’t rely on accidental connections in order to become a better leader.  Experience alone will not elevate your leadership potential. However, if you combine your experience with intentional connections to uplift others, you can become a better leader.

We attract success not by our wants, but by what we become every day. The best leaders are very intentional about developing their people. It’s not plaque mounted on the wall or Human Resources job. It’s about leaders who understand that they can not walk alone; they need other people in their journey to a better future.  As you become more intentional, your team is better off than they were yesterday. You are committed to adding value to their potential. Being intentional also helps you growth potential as you become more self-aware of your relationship to your team. Leadership doesn’t develop in a moment, but develops over a lifetime.  If you become more intentional you can commit to on a daily basis, the better your leadership development.

Intentional leaders build their rapport and credibility by working diligently on the “why” something has to be done. People working in organizations with unintentional leaders are cynical about what their leaders expect. Closure is not valued in the organization and the workers results fall short. We are our best when we are side by side sharing our knowledge, taking initiative to teach and bring the best out of each other.

So how can we be more intentional in our leadership development? Here are three suggestions to reflect on:

• Make every action counts-make the effort to meet everyone on your team. Show them you really interested in their growth potential.

• Focus on doing the right things- encourage someone on your team, find out what their strengths are. Follow with them in a consistent way.

• Seek feedback on your interactions. Part of being intentional is also about our growth and development.