Much has been written about leadership skills. But what does it take to lead an organization focused on impact, social and environmental change, as well as profit?

These organizations are special. They are the face of the changing business environment, as companies move away from a focus solely on profit and focus on multi-stakeholder appreciation and social and environmental impact. Their goal is to keep both impact and profits as essential goals, hand in hand, that complement and support each other.

The data supports this association of impact and benefit: companies that focus on impact have between 12 and 50 times more revenue, a powerful argument in favor of impact from a financial point of view.

So what does it take to lead an organization that focuses on impact? It requires powerful leadership.

In my work with entrepreneurs and organizational leaders, and in my research of high-impact companies that are at the forefront of using business for good, even when making huge profits, I have found 6 skills that appear in all areas of these. successful CEOs and leaders:

  1. Self awareness

The skill of self-awareness has two aspects: impact and behavior.

Impact: We all have an impact, whether we are aware of it or not. Knowing that we have an impact is the first step in self-awareness. Then we can start to think about the kind of impact we are having.

Behaviour: Impactful leaders are aware of how their role influences interactions and use that role to lift and inspire. An example is being curious about the impact each individual in your company wants to have. That sets the stage for you to provide opportunities for that impact to happen.

  1. Vision

Impactful leaders must maintain the vision of the organization, perhaps not alone, but certainly on a consistent basis. Vision answers the question of what it will be like around here when we do. An organization focused on impact goes beyond that. It adds another dimension: what will it be like in our community, in the world at large, when we make that impact? Impactful leaders include these conversations in strategy development and implementation. As an impactful leader, you become the point of contact for others to follow and return to when clarity or resolve falters.

  1. Attention

Having an impact requires a tireless commitment to that vision of impact. It is not easy to instill impact in an organization, which leads to the actions necessary to generate impact and profits. For this infusion to occur, impact must remain the focus of attention throughout the planning processes. It’s easy to sidestep that approach when short-term problems and challenges overwhelm you and your employees. Rather than seeing it as a singular blind focus that never changes, it helps to see focus on impact as a process of constant course correction, as one would navigate in an airplane or ship.

  1. Loving kindness

This word from Buddhist philosophy and biblical roots does a good job of capturing the attitude of the shocking leader. These leaders consider love in decision making. Steve Farber, a well-known leadership expert, characterizes love as “just good business” that is an integral part of leadership, teams, and competitive advantage. Care in treating people with kindness is vital to involve people with the purpose of impacting the organization.

Loving-kindness also extends to yourself as a leader. Treating yourself with kindness and compassion on those inevitable occasions when you fail to live up to your own high standards is crucial to your impact. None of us are infallible, not even with a lofty vision that benefits the planet and people. It is important to be as kind to yourself, to be loving to yourself, as it is to give love and kindness to others.

  1. Resilience and perseverance

Beyond the stamina and perseverance required to achieve financial goals in the face of obstacles and challenges, an impactful leader must be able to overcome setbacks to have an impactful approach while working toward income goals. Despite the corporate world’s move toward impact economics, stakeholders can still offer a pushback if financial goals are not met, pressuring organizations to abandon long-term impact goals in the old-school way. of only short-term gains.

Having impact also involves a multi-dimensional approach and includes new stakeholders, such as governments, community organizations, and non-profit organizations. Resilience and perseverance are required to establish these new connections and cooperative relationships. Impactful leaders model the importance of these aspects in developing strategy and setting goals for its implementation.

  1. Commitment to growth

Impactful leaders are committed to growth – their own growth and that of the people they work with and collaborate with. Becoming a better, impactful leader means leaving the old version of yourself behind and moving to broader ways of being that better serve you and the organization.

Supporting others in their own growth includes programs and opportunities for employees, as well as vendors and joint venture partners. When everyone benefits, the impact expands.

You may already see these skills in the way you choose to appear in your organization. If you do, you are on a beneficial path and I hope you develop it further. Great leaders are always learning and growing.

If you see some gaps, and most of us do, knowledge of these skills will lead to greater awareness as you go about your day. Your leadership is made up of all the decisions you make, day by day, in how you present yourself, how you treat people, how you choose to behave. With heightened awareness, you can begin to develop your leadership skills in these areas.

Leading an organization that makes an impact is a special challenge, one that will require your own skills and growth to be successful. By knowing what to develop, you are one step closer to achieving greater impact.

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