“Although actions may speak louder than words, it is our intentions that reveal our soul.” Hal Elrod
This quote opens the book a little wider on that well known saying and, in an action-obsessed world, especially within the world of work, it feels like it’s time to add a little more soul to inform those actions…and maybe even shift some of them.
When we include a discussion on the soul in anything work related it can feel like it’s too much for some. Like we have wandered into territory that’s not yet acceptable in the leadership or business space. And yet…when we consider the examples of highest impact leadership we have encountered wouldn’t we say there is something ‘extra’ in that person. Something not easily definable – an innate wisdom perhaps, or a high degree of centredness or comfort in their own skin. Something that speaks of a level of integrity and authenticity that goes beyond ticking the boxes on a leadership framework.
Knowingly or not, this is most likely a contact with their own soul – a willingness to listen to the inner voice or intuition (not gut feel – real intuition). A sense of contact with something that demands a higher standard – not from the outside – not because they are conforming to social norms but because they have a deep sense of being aligned with a higher wisdom.
It can show up in their values, the way they make decisions (the factors they consider will tend to be wider, more inclusive), it may also be discernible from their willingness to put themselves on the line if needed in support of something they believe to be right.
But how do we know whether those intentions and actions are really soul inspired? We sense a higher call to action – we sense a commitment to the common good – we sense the goodness inherent in their actions – not naïve conforming goodness but a true sense of what’s in service of the greatest number.
This is how we know the soul is involved – the intentions are pure, unencumbered by personality characteristics, and magnetic. Sure, they have to work out through the personality and that can sometimes get a bit messy – but the more work a leader does on soul alignment the greater the chance that we avoid that messiness too.
There are some big well-known names that fall into this category of leaders – Dag Hammarskjold (former UN President), Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia) – in each case it’s possible to sense a greater purpose that guides them.
So, why wouldn’t we invoke more soulful leadership across all aspects of human life?