**6.3 Characteristics and competencies of leading self sustainably**

Individual leaders who are sustainable rely on consciousness and sustainable literacy as a robust foundation in interactions and interrelationships in pursuit of sustainability. Leading self as a sustainable leader demands four different competencies to develop own mindset and attitude and support others in the pursuit of sustainability. The proposed integrative framework pronounces that accurate sustainability self-awareness, systems literacy, strategic thinking and ethical competencies are critical for sustainable leadership to balance the triple bottom line effectively. Leading self-sustainably is key initial step before the use of appropriate influence tactics (e.g. bargaining, building coalitions, assertiveness and creating goodwill) and role modelling of sustainable and ethical behaviours to influence others as a leader. The proposed integrative framework for sustainable leadership underscores the need to balance personal ethical values, business objectives and physiological and psychological well-being when leading others and planning and implementing social and environmental responsibility activities.
