The 4 Questions Conscious Leaders Ask Themselves

Summary

The transcript outlines the foundation of conscious leadership through four pivotal questions. It emphasizes self-awareness by identifying whether one is 'above the line'—open and curious—or 'below the line'—defensive and reactive. The key to overcoming fear and threat is self-acceptance. Leaders are urged to assess their willingness to shift perspectives and consider various strategies to make this transition. This framework encourages leaders to embrace change and foster a mindset that is open to learning and growth.

Takeaways

• 📍 The concept of 'above the line' and 'below the line' is central to conscious leadership, representing openness and curiosity versus closed-mindedness and defensiveness.
• 🔄 Regular self-assessment of one's position 'above' or 'below the line' is essential for conscious leadership, fostering awareness of one's mental state.
• 😌 Acceptance is the key to overcoming fear and feeling threatened, offering a breath of acceptance as a way to deal with being 'below the line'.
• 🤔 The willingness to shift, rather than just the desire to shift, is what truly matters in conscious leadership, emphasizing action over intention.
• 💡 Self-awareness and honesty are crucial in recognizing one's unwillingness to shift, which is as valuable as the willingness to change.
• 🛠 There are many 'shift moves' available for conscious leaders to choose from, allowing for a personalized approach to shifting one's perspective.
• 🔄 The four key questions for conscious leadership are: 'Where am I?', 'Can I accept myself?', 'Am I willing to shift?', and 'How will I shift?'
• 🧘‍♂️ Being 'above the line' is associated with a state of openness and curiosity, which is conducive to learning and growth.
• 🛡️ Being 'below the line' is characterized by a defensive stance and a desire to prove oneself right, which hinders personal development.
• 🌱 The process of shifting involves moving from a reactive, triggered state to a proactive, open-minded one, which is fundamental to conscious leadership.
• ❓ The questions posed by the script encourage introspection and self-reflection, which are necessary for personal and leadership development.

Q & A

What is the significance of the 'above the line' and 'below the line' concept in conscious leadership?

The 'above the line' and 'below the line' concept represents the state of mind of a leader. 'Above the line' indicates an open, curious, and learning mindset, while 'below the line' signifies a closed, defensive, and self-justifying state.

How often should a conscious leader ask themselves the location question?

A conscious leader should ask themselves the location question regularly to maintain awareness of their current state of mind.

What is the key to overcoming fear and feeling threatened in conscious leadership?

Acceptance is the key to overcoming fear and feeling threatened. It involves giving oneself one breath of acceptance for being just where they are.

What does it mean to be in a 'triggered reactive state'?

A 'triggered reactive state' refers to a condition where a leader is in response to a perceived threat or challenge, often characterized by fear and defensiveness.

How does the willingness to shift differ from wanting to shift in conscious leadership?

Willingness to shift is about being prepared to change one's perspective or approach actively, whereas wanting to shift is a passive desire for circumstances to be different.

What is the importance of self-awareness in the context of the willingness to shift?

Self-awareness is crucial as it allows a leader to honestly assess whether they are willing to shift or not, which is as valuable as the act of shifting itself.

How does the conscious leadership group facilitate the process of shifting?

The conscious leadership group offers a variety of shift moves or strategies to help leaders change their perspective or approach when they are willing to shift.

Why is it said that about 80% of the time we might be unwilling to shift?

This statistic suggests that self-aware leaders often recognize their resistance to change, which is an important part of the growth process in conscious leadership.

What does the term 'smorgasbord' imply in the context of shift moves?

The term 'smorgasbord' implies a wide array of options or strategies available for leaders to choose from when they decide to shift their perspective or approach.

How do the four questions contribute to the development of conscious leadership?

The four questions guide a leader through self-assessment, acceptance, willingness to change, and planning the shift, which are essential steps in the journey towards conscious leadership.

Can you provide an example of a shift move that a conscious leader might employ?

Examples of shift moves are not provided in the script, but they could include practices like mindfulness exercises, changing physical posture, reframing a situation, or seeking feedback from others.

Outlines

00:00

🧘‍♂️ Self-Awareness and Leadership

This paragraph introduces the concept of conscious leadership through self-reflection. It outlines four key questions that leaders should ask themselves to assess their mental and emotional state. The first question, 'Where am I?', is about recognizing whether one is above the line (open and curious) or below the line (closed and defensive). The second question, 'Can I accept myself?', addresses the need for self-acceptance when in a reactive state. The third question, 'Am I willing to shift?', challenges the individual to consider their willingness to change their perspective. The final question, 'How will I shift?', is about identifying the methods to change one's approach. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the willingness to shift for effective conscious leadership.

Keywords

💡Conscious Leadership

Conscious Leadership refers to a leadership style that emphasizes self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to make decisions that are in alignment with one's values and the greater good. In the video, it is the overarching theme, with the four questions serving as a framework for leaders to assess and improve their conscious leadership practices.

💡Above the Line

In the context of the video, 'Above the Line' signifies a state of openness, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. It is contrasted with 'Below the Line,' where one is closed off and defensive. The script encourages leaders to regularly check if they are 'above the line' to foster a mindset conducive to conscious leadership.

💡Below the Line

'Below the Line' represents a state of being closed, defensive, and focused on proving oneself right. It is a position that the video script suggests leaders should be aware of and move away from to practice conscious leadership effectively.

💡Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The video script highlights its importance in conscious leadership by asking leaders to regularly assess their mental state in relation to the 'line' and to accept themselves in their current state.

💡Acceptance

Acceptance, as discussed in the video, is the antidote to fear and feeling threatened. It involves giving oneself 'one breath of acceptance' for being in the current state, which is crucial for moving towards conscious leadership by overcoming reactive and triggered states.

💡Willingness to Shift

Willingness to Shift is the readiness to change one's perspective or approach. The video emphasizes that this willingness is more important than the desire for circumstances to be different, and it is a key component in the process of conscious leadership development.

💡Triggered Reactive State

A 'Triggered Reactive State' is a condition where an individual reacts instinctively and defensively due to feeling threatened or scared. The script uses this term to describe the undesirable state of being 'below the line' and the need for leaders to move out of this state through acceptance.

💡Shift Moves

Shift Moves are strategies or actions that one can take to change their perspective or approach. The video mentions a 'smorgasbord' of shift moves, indicating that there are many ways for leaders to shift their mindset and behavior towards conscious leadership.

💡Context

In the script, 'Context' refers to the framework or situation from which one views an issue. The video encourages leaders to be willing to view issues 'from above the line' instead of 'below the line,' suggesting a shift in context as part of the conscious leadership process.

💡Self-Honesty

Self-Honesty is the practice of being truthful with oneself, especially about one's willingness or unwillingness to change. The video script points out that self-aware leaders will often admit their unwillingness to shift, which is as valuable as actually shifting in the journey towards conscious leadership.

💡Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence, while not explicitly mentioned in the script, is implied as a key aspect of conscious leadership. It involves the ability to manage one's emotions and understand the emotions of others, which is integral to the process of shifting one's state from 'below the line' to 'above the line'.

Highlights

Conscious leaders regularly ask themselves four key questions to guide their leadership.

The first question is about self-awareness of one's current state, being 'above the line' or 'below the line'.

Being 'above the line' signifies openness, curiosity, and a desire to learn.

Being 'below the line' indicates a closed, defensive, and reactive state.

Acceptance is the antidote to fear and feeling threatened, which is crucial when below the line.

The willingness to shift from a reactive to a proactive state is a key component of conscious leadership.

Honest self-reflection on the willingness to change is as valuable as the change itself.

Shifting involves moving from a reactive context to a more open and curious one.

Conscious leadership offers a variety of 'shift moves' to facilitate change.

Self-awareness plays a significant role in determining one's willingness to shift perspectives.

The process of shifting is about choosing to engage with issues from an 'above the line' perspective.

Conscious leaders are encouraged to regularly check their location in terms of being above or below the line.

Acceptance of one's current state is a powerful tool for moving away from a reactive stance.

The concept of 'above the line' and 'below the line' serves as a framework for understanding one's leadership state.

The willingness to shift is a conscious choice that can lead to more effective leadership.

Conscious leadership emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and self-improvement.

The four questions serve as a guide for leaders to navigate their leadership style effectively.

Transcripts

conscious leaders ask themselves four

questions question number one where am i

this is the location question at any

given moment all of us are either above

the line or below the line when we're

above the line we're open and we're

curious and we're interested in learning

when we're below the line were closed

defensive and wanting to prove were

right the entryway the on-ramp to

conscious leadership is asking ourselves

on a regular basis where am I

the answer is always very short and very

simple I'm either above the line or

below the line question number two can I

accept myself for being just where I am

remember when we're below the line we're

in a triggered reactive State were

actually scared we're in a threatened

experience the key the antidote to fear

and to being threatened is acceptance

can I give myself one breath of

acceptance for being just where I am

question number three am I willing to

shift not do I want to shift most of the

time we're gonna want to shift the

question is am I willing to shift when

we ask ourselves are we willing to shift

we're not asking do we want the

circumstances to be different we're

asking am I willing to be with the issue

from a different context am I willing to

be with it from above the line instead

of below the line remember that about

80% of the time if we're really

self-aware and honest

we'll be unwilling to shift that's

perfect we'll get just as much out of

saying no that we're actually unwilling

to shift as we will shifting if we're

willing to shift question number four

how are we going to shift that the

conscious leadership group we offer many

many different kinds of shift moves

there's literally a smorgasbord when

you're willing then you can

from one of those about how you're going

to shift the four questions where am I

can I accept myself am I willing to

shift how will I shift