What is the Leader Compass?
This comprehensive framework illuminates the core principles of life, work, and organizational culture, offering a structured approach to achieving both personal and professional excellence. It emphasizes mindful living, conscious choices, and adherence to foundational beliefs while advocating for resilient and transparent organizational environments. By focusing on assembling the right team, setting clear goals, and ensuring ample resources for growth, this framework provides a holistic guide to fostering long-term success and fulfillment in an ever-evolving world.
Part 1 – Philosophy
Philosophy focuses on the fundamental beliefs and habits that shape our daily lives. It emphasizes the importance of mindful living, balanced choices, and staying true to core principles. Drawing inspiration from Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” it underscores the power of proactivity, clear vision, and effective prioritization.
- Every choice creates you
- Live simply
- Eat wisely
- Sleep well
- Move enough
- Rest your mind
- Center in your principles (from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey):
- Be proactive
- Begin with the end in mind
- Put first things first
- Think win-win
- Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- Synergize
- Sharpen the saw
- Personal pillars (my take)
- Know yourself
- Focus
- Embrace routine
- Work hard
- Be proactive
- Never give up
- Grow and learn
- Be open-minded
- Be humble
- Seek harmony
Part 2 – Culture
Culture delves into building a resilient and adaptive organizational environment. It advocates for a foundation built on solid principles, embracing challenges, fostering transparency, and understanding diverse perspectives. It highlights the necessity of continuous refinement and proactive communication to navigate the pace of change.
- Build your house on solid ground
- Let go of forms and concepts
- Embrace the spirit of challenge
- Tailor your approach
- Create transparency
- Seek to understand all perspectives
- Look for the bright spots
- Be mindful of the pace of change
- Over-communicate most things
- Create opportunities for interaction
- Help people grow
- Refine all the time
- Check-in with yourself at least every 3 months
Part 3 – Ecosystem
Ecosystem outlines the critical elements of a thriving organization. It stresses the importance of assembling the right team, setting clear goals, and providing ample resources for growth and development. It emphasizes hiring wisely, creating structured job designs, and maintaining consistent performance management practices.
- Right people
- Diverse perspectives
- Objective setters
- System thinkers
- Action takers
- Mindful & kind
- Hire wisely
- Design a thorough hiring process
- Hire for skill
- Hire for potential
- Hire for way of thinking
- Job design
- Set expectations
- Create structure
- Flex according to depth
- Training
- Make it easy
- Have a well-structured information repository
- Have a training schedule
- Ask for feedback
- Make it easy
- Performance management
- Establish expectations
- Create career roadmaps
- Recognition
- Maintain routine structured gatherings
- 1:1s
- Huddles
- Alignments
- Celebrations
- Right goals
- Estimate yourself justly
- Set your goals within your compass
- Use objectives and key results (OKRs)
- Create a roadmap with initiatives
- Beware of curveballs and allow for flexibility
- Find work that gives you joy
- Enhance everyone’s experience through every interaction
- Smooth onboarding – a warm welcome
- Service excellence – a zero-defect product
- Anticipatory service – a proactive approach
- Graceful separation (if need be)
- Right resources
- Make reading a habit
- Pin your goals and inspirations to the wall
- Ask for feedback
- Get a mentor
- Get a peer group
- Get in a book club
What’s next?
This framework is designed to inspire you to cultivate a harmonious and dynamic approach to personal and professional growth, ensuring long-term success and fulfillment in the ever-evolving landscape of life and work.