Rooted Leadership, Part II
Are you leading on mission or on the verge of burnout?
Every week we ask our kids if they have done their chores. Most of the time they confidently say, “yes, we put all our shoes on the shelf and bags in the locker”, or “yes, all my clothes are put away or in the hamper, or “yes, EVERYTHING is ready for soccer or mountain bike practice”. To my amazement, they truly believe that their “yes” is true and honest.
Then, I ask as we are walking out the door, “Where’s your water?”, or “how can I open the fridge if your shoes are nicely placed in front of the door?” … etc. …
There is a disconnect between what they are saying and what they are doing, and they are oblivious to the lack of alignment.
It takes a painful assessment for us to help them see the difference between what they are saying and what they are doing. The goal is not shame or guilt, the goal is alignment between what they say and what they do. The bigger goal is about responsibility.
Our last post talked about the foundation of our Rooted Leadership Model. Rooted leaders are purpose-driven and all purpose-driven leaders have 3 things in common: 1) they have rhythms of rest, 2) healthy community, and 3) reciprocity. We don’t believe you can find a healthy leader who doesn’t have these 3 characteristics in their lives. Just like trees are only as strong as their roots, leaders are only strong and resilient when they are rooted.
Loving Life @ Work and Loving Life @ Home requires intentionality from leaders. It’s not enough to simply state what drives us, what our priorities are, or what our vision and values are all about. In other words, who we say we are needs to align with how we show up every day to the people around us.
The trunk of the tree has xylem tubes right on the inside of the bark. The tubes take the nutrients from the root system to the fruit of the tree. If the tubes aren’t working or if something gets in the way, then the tree doesn’t get what it needs. Healthy trees have connected root systems and healthy trees have open xylem tubes. The reason for this phenomenon is so what’s most important can bear fruit and make an impact.
We’ve all heard a politician or two say one thing and do another. We’ve heard someone claim the mission they say they are on and we’ve seen the opposite in their actions. On the flip side, when we see a leader both living with a clear purpose and living aligned to their values, a tremendous impact takes place.
Let’s go on a “walk” together and check on alignment. We aren’t trying to make you feel bad about yourself … we are hoping to trigger an insight to help you steward your responsibilities in a way that aligns with your purpose so you can love life at work and love life at home.
Step 1) Grab a notebook
Step 2) Answer the following questions honestly …
Does your calendar reflect your top priorities at work? (1-5)
Does your calendar reflect your top personal priorities (rest, community, family, health, kids, faith, etc.…)? (1-5)
Can you articulate a clear vision for the most important roles in your life? (1-5)
Does the way you spend time and what you prioritize reflect the life you want to live today and the life you want to live in the future? (1-5)
Can you articulate the values that are most important to you? (1-5)
Do your core values drive your actions and decisions more than what is pragmatic in the moment? (1-5)
Next Step: Add the points up and review the self-score rubric.
Self-Score:
25-30: I’m engaged aligned with my vision, priorities and values
20-25: I’m doing well and some intentional thinking and choices I’ll be fueled for impact.
15-20: I’m surviving, but not thriving and need to figure some stuff out.
10-15: I’m getting my work done but feel like on the wheel of a rat race trying to keep up.
1-10: I’m holding on and need to figure out some things to get back on track.
Rooted Leaders have a clear sense of purpose and live out that purpose by maintaining rhythms of rest, intentional community and practicing reciprocity.
Additionally, Rooted Leaders bring up their purpose to live with a clear vision, right priorities and values that drive consistent actions.
Many leaders know what’s most important at home and work but allow the struggle to just keep up to keep them vs. loving life at work and loving life at home.
Many leaders keep pushing out aligning values with actions because once they hit the magical number, finish the project, get through the meeting, then life will get back on track.
Rooted Leaders who love life at work and love life at home strive to be a leader they are proud of every day. We know it’s a challenge, but it’s more challenging to live in the “rat race” then it is to live rooted in purpose.
This fall, sign up for a 4-6 month executive coaching program to move past living in frustration and move towards leading with passion and purpose. Let’s get healthy and focused going into 2026. Schedule a call with michael@insightlg.com or with ryan@insightlg.com to see if this is the right time for you to jump in.
