Astrology and Your Leadership Style

Can learning about your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs make you a more effective leader?

Astrology is so much more than entertaining fluffy write ups about Sun signs. It’s also a powerful tool that can help give insight into your motivations, passions, and even your leadership style. Yet, most people know what their Sun sign is and little else. Tarot reader and astrologer Cardsy B explains “Your Sun sign can help illuminate a lot about you, but there are two more aspects that are just as important. Often referred to as the ‘Big Three’, looking at your Sun, Moon, and Rising (or Ascendant) signs gives a more complete picture of what makes you, you.”

If you don’t already know your Sun, Moon, and Rising sign, there are plenty of resources that will figure it out for you. You just need the day, time, and location of your birth to get started. A great website to check out is Cafe Astrology

What are Sun, Moon, and Rising signs and how can understanding them help us take more control over how we approach work and leadership?

Here’s a quick rundown:

Sun Signs:

Your Sun sign is your life path. Think of it as a beaming ball of light that shines a spotlight on your core. It rules your personality, greatest desires, and what motivates you. Your Sun sign has everything to do with the self: self-identity, self-expression, and self-esteem. Once you understand what lights a fire in you, it can be applied to goal setting and leadership. Here’s a way you can utilize this knowledge at work.

Sun + Air Signs (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra):

Air signs are great communicators and love to collaborate. Utilize this strength by facilitating brainstorming sessions with your team. Creative expression recharges and motivates Air signs; just make sure you give others room to express their ideas too.

Sun + Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius):

Fire signs feel lit up when chasing goals. Use your fiery energy to inspire yourself and others when starting a new project. Fire energy can spread quickly and a great way to make sure it doesn’t burn itself out early in the project is by setting small goals on the way to achieving the big one.

Sun + Earth Signs (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo):

While some signs (i.e., Air) can get stuck in the ideation part of a project, detailed work helps Earth signs stay present and grounded. Earth signs are motivated by feeling valuable and dependable and make excellent project managers.

Sun + Water Signs (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio):

Water signs are the Zodiac’s natural energy readers and thrive in harmonious environments. They are usually the first to detect any signs or disharmony in a group and are skilled in changing course quickly to maintain balance.

Moon Signs:

If the Sun is the star of the show, then Moon is the soul. Since the Moon is associated with water, it rules our emotional responses, inner world, and what we need to feel safe. Understanding our Moon sign can help us control how we react in emotional situations. Here’s how identifying our Moon sign can help us manage and avoid work conflicts.

Moon + Air Signs (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra):

Before starting a project, make sure it aligns with your beliefs and ethos. Investing time and energy in something that feels “off” disrupts feelings of balance and safety in Air signs. It also diminishes any motivation to finish a project. Take care to believe in what you’re doing to prevent the soft breeze of inspiration from turning into a hurricane.

Moon + Fire Signs: (Aries, Sagittarius, Leo):

Fire signs exude strength and confidence and can be inspiring leaders. Moving fast and upward momentum make Fire signs feel alive. However, it’s important to recognize that not everyone on a team moves at the same speed. Being cognisant of different working styles ensures a slow burn doesn’t turn into a forest fire.

Moon + Earth Signs: (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo):

Change can be hard for Earth signs but as the saying goes, the only constant in life is change. Making a project outline with clear, achievable steps can help everyone stay on track and prevent multiple revisions. Even with prep work, it’s important to realize that changes are inevitable and sometimes yield better results and happy surprises.

Moon + Water Signs: (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio):

The high EQ (emotional intelligence) that Moon signs have can be a blessing and a curse. When starting projects, be clear about your “why” and check in with yourself often. Understanding your “why” can help you stay on course if other peoples’ emotions get in the way. Resist the urge to change course just to keep group peace; your point of view is valuable too.

Rising Signs:

Your Rising sign is often described as your “mask”. It differs from the Sun and Moon because it relates to your social personality and how you present yourself to the world. Your Rising sign is the manifestation of your inner and outer worlds, talents, and skills. Since it’s external facing, it’s the persona people meet first and how we present ourselves at work.

Here are ways our Rising signs can be used to our advantage in a professional setting.

Rising + Air Signs (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra):

Champions of communication and diplomacy, Air signs can come across as friendly and chatty. Use this power to forge relationships and strengthen team bonding. Air signs also excel at problem-solving and making people feel comfortable and make great leaders.

Rising + Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius):

Fire signs often appear energetic and enthusiastic and generally have no issues finding motivation to start and sustain projects. One of Fire signs’ super powers is keeping the momentum going on shared tasks and inspiring others to go above and beyond.

Rising + Earth Signs (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo):

Due to their grounded energy, Earth signs are seen by others as calm and even-tempered. Use this to your advantage and keep projects on track by harnessing your chill energy, attention to detail, and mastery of timelines.

Rising + Water Signs (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio):

Even though empathy is an internal trait, people sense it in Water signs and feel safe in their presence. Honor the people-influencer you were born to be by helping to keep a positive work environment. Just make sure to protect your energy to prevent being the unofficial office therapist.

By understanding your sun, moon and rising sign and even your team’s signs, you can add to your toolbox as a high performance leader. Consider a fun team building session where you find out what your team’s signs are and discuss in small groups what that means to their relationships, interactions and performance at work.

And now that you know your signs, be sure to add them to your Bosstrack community profile. If you’re not yet a member, founding membership is free right now. You can find out more by going to our membership page.

Lisa Stanton is a Toronto based writer and entrepreneur. She loves to explore the intersection of the worlds of business and the metaphysical through writing.