Becoming a transformative leader is not an easy road. You must intentionally take the steps to learn the skills needed. That’s probably why so few stick with it, unfortunately.

But for those who have the willingness, the rewards of doing so are lifechanging for both your team and for you.

Transformative leaders lead from within — and with intention. What does it mean to lead from within? It means being authentic and staying true to who you are as a person. There are 8 key dimensions that comes together to support this kind of leadership. In my book, Confident Wizard, I compare them to pillars in a building. If one pillar isn’t firm, the building doesn’t stand securely. Let’s walk through each one.

Become a Better Leader through Self-Awareness

I talk and write a lot about self-awareness because it deserves the spotlight. Self-awareness is your ability to focus on who you are and how your emotions, actions, and thoughts align — or fail to align — with your internal values.

Before we can improve upon your skills, we must know what skills you possess and in what capacity. The 4 qualities that fuel self-awareness are honesty, perseverance, passion, and confidence.

Become a Better Leader through Self-Esteem

Your subjective sense of value or worth defines your self-esteem. Do you appreciate yourself? Do you act kind and lovingly toward yourself, even when circumstances might not be quite right?

Much has been written about how to raise your self-esteem. While it may feel like it’s impossible, there are ways to increase it.

Become a Better Leader by Being on Purpose

Being on purpose means your life is guided by central aims. You have focus and connect with others who have a similar purpose. It guides your behavior and sense of self. Ultimately, it gives your life meaning.

Did you know that studies have shown being on purpose literally leads to improving your health:

• Those who had connected with their sense of purpose lived longer.
• A lack of purpose was associated with cardiovascular disease and death.
• Those with a low sense of purpose were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

Become a Better Leader through Authenticity

Being genuine is being authentic. When you’re confident in who you are and how you behave, you’re immune to external pressures to be and do otherwise. The benefits are numerous including becoming a leader people want to follow.

Being honest with yourself and others, taking responsibility for your mistakes, and knowing your self-worth isn’t tied up in your faults are all traits of an authentic leader.

Become a Better Leader through Resilience to Stress

To be resilient is to adapt well while facing threats, tragedy, trauma, adversity, and other stress forms. I’m certainly not saying this is easy or simple because it’s not. Working through some of these stressors can be lifelong pursuits.

Notice I said adapt and not immune. As humans, we’re meant to feel our emotions. It’s in how we respond to the emotions that make the difference. Resilience involves grit and requires alignment in your brain and heart. When a leader is resilient, they lessen their own burden of stress and make it easier to achieve their goals.

Become a Better Leader through Empowered Beliefs

Every single person has a belief system, a set of principles that form the basis upon which they live. This system is formed by 2 types of beliefs: limiting beliefs or empowered beliefs. Limiting beliefs are ideas you hold to be true but that don’t serve you well. They run counter to your goals and stand in the way of your progress. Empowered beliefs, on the other hand, inspire and propel you toward your goals.

Become a Better Leader through Positive Self-Talk

How you talk to yourself, your inner dialogue, is influenced by your subconscious mind. Listen to it. There, you’ll find your beliefs, questions, thoughts, and ideas. Do you find your own self-talk encouraging or distressing?

Confident, authentic leaders harness the power of positive self-talk. They quickly recognize when their inner dialogue becomes too negative, and they take corrective action.

Become a Better Leader through Self-Love

While cliché, self-love is simply a state of appreciation for yourself. And it’s vital. Growing from the actions that support your psychological, spiritual, and physical growth, self-love places a high priority on your happiness and well-being.

Sacrificing yourself for the sake of pleasing others is not practicing self-love. I find it’s a myth of leadership. You do need to take care of yourself first. When you don’t settle for less than you deserve, you practice loving yourself — and becoming a better, more effective leader in the process.

Becoming a transformative leader doesn’t happen overnight. Far from it! It takes time, experience, and focus on developing the necessary skills. You must want to unlock the leader inside of you. But once you want it, moving through these 8 key dimensions will show you exactly how to become the leader you want to become.