Authentic Leadership 3. Five pillars of authentic living & leading everyone must have
The time has come for everyone to think twice about leaders and leadership as this impacts every aspect of our lives.
Erroneous mindset about leadership
Unfortunately, many people erroneously think that leaders are people in power positions. They give their power away to these decision-makers because they don't see themselves as ‘leaders’. The truth is, we all have a leadership role to play.
It may not be as visible as people in power positions. It becomes evident, especially in the kind and quality of people we vote for, support, and keep in place.
People support likeminded people
We support like-minded people who resonate with who we are. Just think of it, who you are, determines the quality of leader you vote for and who you place in a power position, to make decisions on your behalf. The quality of leadership is your/our responsibility.
Who are authentic leaders?
In the previous article in this series of Authentic Leadership, we focussed on identifying who authentic leaders are and asked the question if we qualify. It makes it still easier to identify authentic people, especially authentic leaders if we know what the five pillars of authentic living, are. It is like having a tick-box list.
The questions are, what is the foundation of authentic living and leading? What are the pillars of authentic living and leading? How do we develop this new foundation?
But first, some background on where I got this mind-blowing information from.
Background to authentic leadership discovery
In the previous article, we covered the long months spent on researching leadership, the Human Genome Project, spirituality, and how to recover our original, authentic DNA blueprint, after being paralysed in a motor accident. On returning to the academic world, I found that I had changed but not the academic world and especially not the leadership development environment. I left.
However, two years later I was called back and offered an exceptional post at the university.
The opportunity of a lifetime.
This post was specifically created to meet the needs of the university to integrate and facilitate cooperation between the deans of faculties and heads of departments with the senior management of the university while building connections, interdisciplinary communication, and cooperation with national and international universities and academic institutes.
Not only was I deeply honoured and grateful for this offer, but it was also an opportunity of a lifetime. I was on top of the world.
Actions speak louder than words
I was headhunted and offered the post not only because of a broad academic career, but because of research done on holistic integrated management and leadership and the exceptional results obtained in consulting and facilitating transformation in various companies, organisations, political parties, and government institutes that included the Defence Force and Police Services. I learnt that actions speak louder than words. (Ps. See our website for testimonials.)
I was to report directly to the vice-chancellor of the university. However, this happy experience was also a turning point.
Turning point
During the interview, I became acutely aware of the highly accomplished academics who were in the meeting, including the vice-chancellor himself. Not only was I honoured by this opportunity, but it was also a seal on all the hard work I had done within, and also outside the academic world. In essence, you could say that I had arrived. This was the pinnacle anyone can only dream of.
Declining a lifetime opportunity
However, after two hours into the interview, I knew I needed to decline this lifetime opportunity that not only included a title and a substantial remuneration package, but also the opportunity to travel, see the world, meet new people, and build bridges.
In the middle of this all-important interview I realised, this was not what I was called and prepared for. This was not my soul's purpose. I had to be true to myself. I humbly and graciously declined, got up, and walked out. This was a turning point.
Ego-trip versus soul-journey
Like many others, I had to decide between an ego trip and a soul journey. My ego wanted this post, but my heart and soul said, “No, there is something more. This is just a marker. It is time to move on”.
Purpose and calling
My soul calling and purpose for the next stage of my life was to not only find out all I could about authentic living and leading but to learn how to identify and help develop and train real, authentic leaders. I had to go back to the roots of identifying leaders, leadership, and leadership training. I had to go back in history and relearn what we had forgotten. Many books followed.
Letting go of everything
I sold everything I had and set out on a journey in search of the roots of authenticity and authentic leadership. This not only took me down the path of ancient history, but this path also included visits to leaders in countries like Peru, Egypt, Turkey, and tribal leaders in Africa. Their universal wisdom was only shared by word of mouth. You first needed to go through various initiations to receive these sacred teachings.
Leadership lessons from religious texts
Some of the most important teachings on leadership we find in our religious texts. The story of King Solomon[i] comes to mind as an excellent example of the rise and fall of a leader. There are many leadership lessons to learn from ancient history. We do not need to re-invent the wheel. Ps. See chapter one in the book, New Leadership DNA. Developing enlightened leaders.
Leadership training – a sacred journey
The fact is that since the beginning of time, identifying and training leaders was and still is, a sacred, spiritual journey. Leadership and leadership training is all about moving out of darkness and ignorance into the light
The question is, where did we get lost? How on earth did leadership training not only land up in the academic world but also got placed within the ranks of business development and/or part of an MBA?
Where did we go wrong and how do we fix the mess?
The history of leadership
In the previous article, we used the masterpiece of Michael Angelo as the example of ego-driven people, including leaders, struggling within their fixed mindset, and confused by various theories, and diverse perspectives versus authentic leaders getting reconnected.
The truth about leadership is that from the beginning of time, leadership has always been about connection, right down to a DNA level.
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The discovery of DNA
However, the term DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid, was only coined in the 1950s by Watson and Crick[ii]. In 1962 they were awarded The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the molecular structure of DNA, which helped solve one of the most important of all biological riddles[iii].
In ancient times it was known as a bloodline. Today we know that our bloodline is our DNA line, our DNA blueprint. We learnt that we have a DNA leadership blueprint. This means that we all have an authentic leadership bloodline. We were born to lead. This is part of who we are.
Leadership, bloodline, and DNA blueprint.
Since ancient times, leaders were identified, authenticated, and appointed by God. Priests performed the ceremonies and rituals and crowned the kings and queens of that time. This training was done within the temples by the priests.
Here, leaders heard their divine calling and the task to lead their people to a life of health, wealth, happiness, and success under the guidance of God. Kings and queens answered to God only.
Queen Elizabeth ll
They still do. Queen Elizabeth II, for example, is not only head of the state, but also head of the Church of England. This royal bloodline is hereditary. When the time comes, Prince Charles will follow in his mothers' footsteps. However, the line of inheriting a leadership position is fading.
We find the same principle with African royalty. A leader like Nelson Mandela grew up in a royal family but he was not directly in line to inherit the throne. However, Nelson Mandela became one of the world's most iconic leaders.
Leadership is hereditary
Initially, leadership positions were hereditary as the positions as royal kings and queens were handed down the biological bloodline, from generation to generation.
Businesspeople didn’t lead. They worked on the marketplace selling their goods and services.
What happened?
The questions are, what happened? How did politicians, academics, and businesspeople become the leaders? The answer is – humanity happened.
Over time, royal bloodline kings and queens became disconnected, abused their positions, and negated their responsibilities. The people got angry and toppled the system resulting in only a few royal houses still standing today. The world was turned upside down.
Leadership open to all
Since then, anyone can write a book on leadership and bring leadership training to the marketplace. Unfortunately, this has brought confusion. People are not clear on who real leaders are, and where they stand. Who do you vote for? Who do you support?
Who do you support?
You will support those who resonate with you. If you are connected, you will support people who are connected. If not, you will support ego-driven, disconnected people to represent you as a leader. The responsibility to put the right people in the right place is in our hands.
Setting the records straight.
Now the time has come to set the records straight. We now have to turn the world dowide-up. Our challenge is to restore the original blueprint and turn everything down-side up – once again. Leadership development is all about restoring the initial roots of leadership- the initial bloodline - the initial DNA blueprint.
At the same time, we have so much unlearning to do.
The original DNA leadership blueprint is being restored
Fortunately, the quantum leap and genetic shift are already taking place. The original DNA leadership blueprint, the real ‘leadership bloodline’, is being restored. We are returning to authentic living and leading.
A new leadership bloodline/DNA blueprint
The biological family is now traded for a new DNA family. This emerging group of new thinkers and leaders have chosen to walk the path of authentic living and leading. They are prepared to leave the old behind, make the leap to the new season of human existence while recovering their original DNA blueprint. This includes recovering your DNA leadership blueprint.
This could even include leaving their biological family behind, if necessary.
The questions are, what is the foundation of authentic living and leading? How do we develop this new foundation?
The five pillars of authentic living and leading.
Here are the five pillars of authentic living and leading everyone must-have.
· Connected
Getting reconnected and healing or DNA is an ancient practice especially to prepare leaders to take in their place and to 'show the way'.
In our authentic leadership workshops, we bring powerful skills and tools to get reconnected to our original DNA success blueprint. The aim is to reconnect to truth, honesty, integrity, and authenticity. The rest flows from this connection.
· Centred
One of the major challenges for those who choose the path of authentic living and leading, into only to stay connected, but to also stay centred. Identifying and maintaining your centre core makes you invulnerable to outside influences. It is a continuous process of making sure you stay centered. The reason is that it leads to balance, integrity, and consistency. These are all important aspects of authentic living and leading.
· Grounded
Another challenge all authentic people, including authentic leaders, need to contend with is the ability to stay grounded in all and every circumstance. Being grounded physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually are all skills and tools people can learn. In our workshops, we show you how.
· Focussed
The aim of authentic living and leading is to restore the original authentic blueprint of health, wealth, happiness, success, and prosperity that benefits all. This means recovering and restoring our original DNA blueprint. In essence, we are in the process of recovering and restoring our ancient royal bloodline. Our leadership positions will be revealed to us, once again. All we need to do is to stay focused and to help others to do the same.
· Inspired
The word ‘inspired’ comes from Latin in spiritus, meaning ‘breath’. In this case ‘the breath of God’. Once you are connected, centred, grounded, and focussed, the ‘breath of God’, the breath, or the power of the Universe, flows to you, through you, from you to others. You inspire others to walk the path of authenticity – but just being your authentic self.
The truth
Just imagine how wonderful life would like if everyone was connected, centred, grounded, focussed, and inspired. The truth is, because we are human, it is a constant struggle to maintain this level of maturity in our lives. No one has yet fully arrived. Fortunately, we now know what to aim for and to work on. This is one of our biggest challenges here on Mother Earth.
Authentic living a prerequisite for leading
Authentic living is the prerequisite for authentic leading. Authenticity becomes a way of life and plays out in all contexts of life and at all ages. Nobody is excluded. Only when you have chosen to walk the path of authenticity – can you show the way. This is what authentic leadership is all about. Your position is now immaterial. You lead just where you are. The more powerful your position is - the more people you can touch.
The shift to authentic living and leading
Leadership has now moved from the ego-trapping of having academic degrees, power positions and possessions, to being a quality person, inspiring others to embark on the path of authentic living and leading.
The truth is – authentic leaders can and do have power positions and possessions and can also lead others to authenticity. It is not one or the other. The reason is that our DNA success and leadership blueprint is being restored. We can have it all. In essence, we are being restored to universal royalty.
Important question
The important question is, why does everyone need to develop these five pillars of authentic living and leading?
The short answer is – the survival of humanity depends on it. See the next article for four very important reasons why everyone should develop the five pillars of authentic living and leading.
Invest in authentic living and leading workshops and training
In our authentic leadership workshops, we bring not only this new mindset, but powerful skills and tools to help people/leaders to get connected, centred, grounded, focussed, and inspired. What flows from this is honesty, truth, integrity, compassion, wisdom, vision, guidance, and direction. It also includes health, wealth, happiness, success, and prosperity, as encoded as our original DNA success blueprint.
Contact us if you are interested in in-house training and/or coaching. Remember, we are all called to walk the path of authentic living and leading. However, some will stay behind. Find out how to join those who are now moving forward[iv].
Walking the path of authenticity
Start here.
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Book your in-house authentic leadership training by sending an email to info@powerintelligence.net or contact us for more info.
See interview with Amy Sanders on the emerging of New Success DNA.
See the introduction to authentic living, leading, and self-coaching.
Book an inspiring thought leader as a speaker for your next event and conference by sending an email to brendah@powerinteliigence.net
Read all the books now available on recovering your DNA success and leadership blueprint, here
Look out for our open courses, training, and upcoming webinars.
Catch up on the series on Self-coaching
Self-coaching 1. Self-coaching. 5 Reasons why people are addicted to negativity and how to solve it.
Self-coaching 2. 4 Reasons we sabotage ourselves and how to turn it around.
Self-coaching 3. Self-coaching. What is it and why is it so important now?
Self-coaching 4. How to use the Genetic Shift to boost your life, relationships, finances, and future.
Self-coaching 5. Understanding the genetic shift and how it influences you
Self-coaching 7. How to climb the new ladder of success
Self-coaching 8: Nine must-have Power Tools to secure next-level success
Self-coaching 9. How to sharpen your must-have POWER TOOLS to maintain an advantage.
Self-coaching 10. What is ULTIMATE SUCCESS and how to maintain it in life and leadership
Catch up on the series of Epigenetics in life and leadership
Epigenetics 1. What is Epigenetics and how to harness this power in life and leadership?
Epigenetics 2. How to manage people who cannot make the genetic shift.
Epigenetics 3. Who will make the Genetic shift and how to join them.
Epigenetics 4. Why the GENETIC SHIFT is causing such a stir and how to manage it.
Epigenetics 5. Do you have the genetic code for ultimate success?
Epigenetics 6. What does religion have to say about the genetic shift?
Catch up on the articles, Authentic leadership
Authentic leadership 1. Why current leadership perspectives and training are old-school and what to do
Authentic leadership 2. Who is the authentic leader, and do you qualify?
Coming up
In our next article, we will focus on four important reasons everyone must develop the five pillars of authentic living and leading.
Until then – stay connected and stay safe.
Brenda Hattingh
· See our website for more info.
· Contact us info@powerintelligence.net
References [i] See chapter one in the book. Hattingh, Brenda. (2012, c) New Leadership DNA. Developing enlightened leaders. Currency Communications Pty. Ltd.: Johannesburg. [ii] See Watson and Crick Watson and Crick: The Discovery of the DNA Structure – StMU Research Scholars (stmuscholars.org) [iii] What is DNA? See: What is DNA?: MedlinePlus Genetics [iv] See article: Who will make the genetic shift and how to join them. https://www.brendahattingh.com/post/epigenetics-3-who-will-make-the-genetic-shift-and-how-to-join-them
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