Positive intelligence, a skill you can build as a leader, indicates how your mind acts in your best interest. Think of positive intelligence as emotional intelligence, but with a focus on strengthening your mental fitness to overcome self-sabotaging thoughts, shift negative patterns, and build resilience, allowing you to respond to leadership challenges with clarity, creativity, and calm.

As a leader, a great deal of your personal and professional development will involve addressing your self-sabotaging thoughts, or saboteurs.

Understanding Saboteurs

Saboteurs are the inner voices that generate negative emotions, undermining your ability to respond to challenges with a clear and positive mindset. These patterns often develop early in life as coping mechanisms but can become counterproductive in adulthood, especially in leadership roles.

There are 10 Saboteurs in Positive Intelligence

1. Judge: Constantly criticizing yourself and other
2. Controller: Needing to be in charge of every situation
3. Victim: Feeling that external circumstances are always against you
4. Pleaser: Prioritizing others’ needs at the expense of your own
5. Hyper-Achiever: Obsessed with achievement and success
6. Hyper-Rational: Overly reliant on logic and dismissive of emotions
7. Hyper-Vigilant: Constantly anxious and on guard for potential threats
8. Restless: Always seeking new stimulation and easily bored
9. Stickler: Perfectionist tendencies and rigidity
10. Avoider: Escaping difficult emotions or situations

Recognizing Your Saboteurs

The first step in managing saboteurs is recognizing when they’re at work. Physical signs might include tension in your body, shallow breathing, or a racing heart. Emotionally, you might feel anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Common workplace triggers can be tight deadlines, conflicts with team members, or unexpected changes in projects.

A Concrete Example

Think of a time when you were facing a tight deadline. Maybe you told yourself that you weren’t good enough at your job to meet the deadline and that missing it would mean failing your team. With this mindset, you may have started micromanaging your team (Controller Saboteur), causing tension and reducing productivity. As the deadline loomed, you might have started feeling like a victim of unrealistic expectations (Victim Saboteur).

Reflective Questions

1. In your personal experience, what other saboteurs were at play in this scenario?
2. How might these saboteurs have impacted your leadership and team dynamics?
3. What alternative responses could you have that would be more productive?

When You Notice Saboteurs At Work, Try These Techniques

Mindfulness

Take a moment to breathe deeply and observe your thoughts without judgment.

Cognitive Reframing

Challenge negative thoughts and look for alternative perspectives.

Physical Rest

Step away from your desk, stretch, or take a short walk to shift your energy.

The Counterpoint to Saboteurs

In Positive Intelligence, the counterpoint to saboteurs is the Sage – your wisdom and strength when your mind is clear and calm. Accessing your Sage involves:

1. Recognizing that you have a choice in how you respond to challenges
2. Looking for opportunities or learning in difficult situations
3. Taking empowered and productive action

The 5 Sage Powers

In contrast to the saboteurs, the Sage perspective offers five key powers that can help us navigate challenges more effectively:

1. Empathize: The ability to connect emotionally with yourself and others
2. Explore: Curiosity and openness to different viewpoints and possibilities
3. Innovate: Ability to generate creative solutions and think outside the box
4. Navigate: Making clear-headed decisions aligned with your values and goals
5. Activate: Taking decisive action with clarity and without fear

Your Saboteur Management Plan

1. Identify your most active saboteurs
2. Recognize their typical triggers and patterns
3. Develop specific strategies to counter each saboteur
4. Practice regularly and seek support from colleagues or a coach

As you become more adept at managing your saboteurs, you’ll notice positive changes in your leadership style and team dynamics. By openly discussing these challenges and strategies, you create a culture of emotional intelligence and resilience within your organization.

 

Support For Your Journey

Recognizing and managing your saboteurs is a challenging but rewarding process. The skilled coaches at The Chelese Perry Group can support you on your journey of self-discovery and growth. Our coaches are trained in Positive Intelligence principles and can provide personalized guidance to help you identify your saboteurs, develop your Sage powers, and become a more emotionally intelligent leader.

By taking control of your inner saboteurs, you’re not just improving your own leadership – you’re paving the way for a more emotionally intelligent and high-performing team. Start your journey today and watch as both you and your team thrive in the face of challenges.

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Develop Your Sage Powers!