Livin’ The Dream … For Real!
Be a Rooted Leader. Take this Six Question Quiz.
Over the next three newsletters, we are going to help you self-assess your life and leadership. I know, it’s like Christmas in September! Why now? The reason is simple … if you have some work to do, you will be more enjoyable and engaged during Christmas!
We all have that family member who gets hangry and needs some bacon. What we might not know is that’s how we roll when we aren’t healthy, Rooted Leaders. So, let’s do something about it. Listen – if you want some bacon, have some because you want some, not because you are miserable to be around without protein!
During the next three newsletters, we are going to leverage our Rooted Leadership framework to guide us (view the beautiful picture of the tree). We know that winning at life and work can sometimes look more like the stock market than a healthy heart monitor. Life happens. If we self-assess, make wise intentional choices, and stay healthy, our result is a life that leaves a legacy worth remembering.
Rooted Leaders have three elements in common: 1) Clear Drive, 2) Healthy Community, and 3) Reciprocity. When leaders know why they wake up, who they enjoy spending time with, and have relationships that both give and receive, we see healthy, Rooted Leaders—leaders who live with purpose.
Step 1: Grab a notebook or sticky note and record your score to each question.
Step 2: Answer the following six questions honestly.
Do you look forward to going to work and feel like you are making a positive impact? (1-5)
Are you engaged and happy with your life at home? (1-5)
Do you spend time with good friends outside of work? (1-5)
Do you have healthy community you are thankful for outside of work and family? (1-5)
Do you spend time helping others? (1-5)
Do you receive help from others at work or after work? (1-5)
Step 3: Add the points up and review the self-score rubric.
Self-Score:
25- 30 – I’m engaged at work and engaged at home.
20-25 – I’m doing well, and some intentional choices will get me cruising.
15-20 – I’m surviving, but not thriving and need to figure some stuff out.
10-15 – I’m getting my work done but I’m hoping no one sees how disengaged I am. I’m currently living with discontent.
1-10 – I’m barely holding on and need to figure out some things to get back on track.
Rooted Leaders lead with a clear sense of purpose. Purpose keeps us grounded through adversity and becomes a filter through which we view all opportunities and choices. With no clear purpose, we have no intentionality with the life we live. The current of life will take us where it takes us and we may or may not like it.
According to Korn Ferry research, leaders with a clear leadership purpose often ascended to more challenging roles and even boasted an average leadership tenure of 18 years.
Purpose, when it is precisely defined, will be the North Star that keeps your orientation steady even as you navigate and overcome obstacles. By articulating this purpose clearly to other people, you can ensure that you are collectively moving in the same direction.
Purpose is more than a dream after heartburn. Purpose is more than new running shoes and gym memberships in the new year.
Purpose fuels you through and thick and thin. Purpose defines you. Purpose shapes you.
Mark Twain said: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
I’ll add to that a bit. It’s not about finding “why” for the rest of your life … it’s about finding your why, your purpose, for this current season of your life.
At Insight Leadership Group, we’ve found that healthy, Rooted Leaders who claim to live with purpose have three things in common:
Clear Drive
Healthy Community
Reciprocity
We’ve worked with plenty of financially successful leaders who are not healthy. We believe legacy leaving success is an output of our lives not simply a transaction of our daily lives.
We wake up every day because we believe … if you are a healthy leader, you positively impact the lives of your team. That impacts a community. Healthy leadership transforms communities. Kids grow up in healthy families, kids are coached by healthy volunteers, and marriages hold up to the vows from the wedding day. Organizations continue to be life giving instead of soul sucking all because of healthy leadership.
What are your next steps from this:
Sign up for Executive Coaching and gain the support you need to love life at work and love life at home during this season.
Sign up for Manager as Coach Cohort and gain the skills you need to manage effectively rather than let management drain you and your team.
Sign up for 2026 Insight Executive Leadership Academy to receive training and coaching to help you lead at the next level.
Hold a leadership day for your team to help you get to know your team and your team to know their individual and corporate purpose.
Set a meeting with michael@insightlg.com or ryan@insightlg.com today.
