Yoga and Leadership: How to Lead with Authenticity
Whether you’re a student, a yoga teacher, or a leader in your day-to-day role in the professional world or at home - The principles of yoga highlight our growth areas in effective leadership.
Throughout our lives, each and every one of us will at some point step into a leadership role. Our ability to guide others effectively cascades and creates ripple effects for others.
The best leaders act more as guides, anticipating and honoring that every individual learns at a very personalized pace. It’s not about forcing or pushing, rather clearing the path and walking ahead with calm, openness, and understanding at our core.
These simple yoga principles will act as your guidelines in becoming an authentic, aware and effective leader in your life.
Observe and Release Judgement: Each individual grows and learns at their own pace, and in their own way. When we show up with an open mind, we leave space for the learning process to unfold organically. The art of observing without judgement creates a witness and witnessed dynamic. Most of us aren’t actually seeking advice, but to be seen and understood by another.
Take Care of Your Energy: We cannot lead effectively when we’re frazzled and unregulated. Focusing first and foremost on our own energy and nervous system regulation will allow us to show up with presence and authenticity. As a bonus, it gives us a golden opportunity to model boundaries and direct communication. It provides a real life example of healthy relationships within our direct communities.
Learn to Lead: Context is everything. We must place emphasis on learning about our students, our loved ones, or anyone we have the honor to guide before we know where to take them. Taking a few extra minutes to check-in, observe, and understand the energy in the room can change everything we plan to teach on any given day. Being nimble and flexible with our plans creates more profound understanding for both leaders and learners.
The details matter, and creating a conducive space for learning to take place requires finesse, situational awareness, and an open mind. Humans learn best on their own time, in their own way, and with understanding from others as the foundational building block.
Want to learn more on leadership in the yoga space? We offer 1:1 support for leaders and yoga teachers in the form of mentorship. Visit our “contact us” page and shoot us an email to learn more.
