Great Leaders Are Centered: Finding Balance from Within

In the fast-paced world of leadership, maintaining a sense of inner balance is crucial. I discovered the transformative power of centering, a practice that has reshaped my approach to leadership and how I navigate stress and challenges.

The Journey to Centering

My journey began in an African dance class, a pursuit I embraced for three years. These classes were not just about learning dance steps but also about finding one’s center. We spent the first 30 minutes of each session swaying back and forth, an exercise in achieving physical and mental equilibrium.

Centering, for me, was a process of aligning body, mind and spirit. With closed eyes, I would sway gently, letting the tension from every muscle cascade down to my feet and dissipate into the floor. This ritual was not just physical; it was a mental transition into a state of focused calmness.

When Centering Unfolds

I knew I had reached my center when my mind became quiet, my breathing steadied, and my soul felt aligned, ready for the next move. This was more than a dance technique; it was a metaphor for leadership. In those moments of swaying, any discord within me transformed into harmony.

Centering in Leadership

Adopting this practice in my leadership style was transformative. Centering became my quick, effective response to external stressors invading my inner peace. It’s about being centered within. When you’re internally balanced, everything outside — challenging people, complex situations — becomes more manageable. I refer to it as “excellence through inner peace”.

Inner peace is vital for excellent leadership. Centering is how it can be attained. Once it is captured, things that once seemed impossible and overwhelming become smaller and manageable.

Centering taught me an invaluable lesson: leadership is as much about internal balance as it is about external actions. When you’re centered, your decision-making improves, your interactions become more meaningful, and your capacity to handle stress increases.

Conclusion: Embracing Centering for Effective Leadership

For aspiring and current leaders, centering is a skill worth cultivating. It equips you with the mental and emotional strength to face the rigors of leadership. Remember, when you are centered, you don’t just lead with your mind and skills; you lead with your soul.

Incorporating centering into your routine might not involve swaying to the rhythm of African dance, but it can take many forms — meditation, mindfulness, or simply a moment of quiet reflection. The key is to find what brings you to that point of internal balance and harmony.

Great leaders are, indeed, centered leaders. They understand that true leadership strength comes from a place of internal equilibrium, where every challenge is met with a calm, focused, and aligned response.

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-Coach Lucress

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