By Steve Motenko

As never before, this world needs leaders.  In fact, given the state of Spaceship Earth and all its life forms at this fateful juncture in history, this world needs everyone – needs you – to step up as a leader.  As I said in my High Horse, if you have influence on another soul – influence, the topic of today’s show – then you wear the responsibility and the opportunity of leadership.  I beg you not to wear them lightly.  It is far too late for despair; it is time for leadership and action.

Who are you?  How do you show up in the world?  In my High Horse earlier in the show I suggested that these questions govern your capacity as a leader.  I offered up four qualities to attend to:  authenticity, openness, ethicality, and commitment to a cause greater than yourself.

To make it real this week, rate yourself on each of these qualities:

1. How authentic are you?  How willing to stand up for what you believe, to show up as your highest self, to live up to your full potential?
2. How open are you?  How good a listener?  Do you regularly question your assumptions? Do you invite others to challenge your perspectives?
3. How ethical are you?  Anything you do that affects another living thing has ethical implications.  How often does that still, small voice of conscience rear its little head and challenge you, asking you to step up to a higher bar of behavior?
4. And finally, to what extent are you committed to something larger than you?  What are you committed to?  And does your behavior reflect that commitment?  That’s called integrity.

To lead a leader’s life, you have to ask and answer these questions constantly, day after day, year after year.  They become the fabric of your life.  And your life demands no less.

And then, to build skills of influence atop that personal, who-you-are foundation, check out Plank 7 of our book, Land On Your Feet, Not On Your Face.  Many of the tips we’ve offered in this show are there.  Practice those tips and you’ll be “making it real.”