SOVEREIGN

This is the most demanding of the four archetypes and I think involves a lifetime of evolution.

The following features describe the Healthy Sovereign Archetype.

• Leaves lasting legacy • Present in the here and now
• Strong Outer Witness • Inspires culture of generosity
• In service to others • Empowers others to thrive
• Inclusive • Comfortable in Uncertainty
• Aligns Inner and Outer 

The basic task of one’s Healthy Sovereign is to Be Open – not attached – to Outcome. Shadow Sovereign Archetypes describe those who have too much (Tyrant) or too little (Weakling) Sovereign Energy.

TYRANTWEAKLING
Sees self as Special
Power as a BirthrightFeels Inferior
Do what I tell you to doNo personal power
My way or the highwayFeels worthless
My needs and the company’s needs are the sameIncapable of setting direction for own life
 Wants approval of others

Using this framework, consider the following questions. i. Which is your default Sovereign type:

  • When calm? When under pressure?

ii. How does your Sovereign usually show up:

  • At work? At home?

iii. Which Shadow Sovereign are you most familiar with in your own behaviour: Tyrant or Weakling?

iv. In what sort of situation is this Shadow Sovereign most likely to appear?

Building Trust is a crucial component of the work of a Healthy Sovereign.

In her TED talk (How to build (and rebuild) trust | Frances Frei - YouTube), Harvard Business School lecturer Francis Frei shares her belief in the importance of Trust as the foundation for everything we do. She continues by saying that if we were able to learn to trust one another more, unprecedented human progress would become possible.

Brene Brown turns her researcher gaze onto Trust and reports on her progress in identifying its building blocks in a Super Soul session with Oprah Winfrey (SuperSoul Sessions: The Anatomy of Trust - Brené Brown (brenebrown.com).

She creates the acronym BRAVING to summarise her findings:

  • Boundaries. You know and hold your boundaries, and respect mine.
  • Reliability. You do what you say you are going to do over and over and over again.
  • Accountability. When you make a mistake, you own it, apologise for it and make amends.
  • The Vault. You hold what I share with you in confidence and vice versa. No gossiping about others’ sharing.
  • Integrity. You choose courage over comfort, what’s right over what’s fun, fast or easy, and you practise your values instead of just professing them.
  • Non-judgment. I can fall apart, ask for help or be in struggle without being judged by you (and vice versa).
  • Generosity. You assume the most generous thing about my words, intentions and behaviours, and then check in with me.

 i. Which of these seven building blocks are your particular strengths?
 ii. Which items do you need to work on strengthening?
 iii. How much do you trust yourself?

Once you have your list, you might be interested in asking people who know you well (at home and at work) to select both your strengths and weaknesses from the BRAVING items. How much overlap is there between your view of yourself and others’ perceptions of you?