7 Ways to Authentic Leadership
I remember some years ago when I was taking my daughter to school, I left her with this thought: "Sweetie, learn new stuff today!". You see my wish for her was to be open to expanding her knowledge and new ways of thinking about things, and not just go through the motions.
Sometimes it's easy to just go with the flow and hit the cruise control button. And there are days when doing just that is your best bet. But really long term, what fun is that?
The challenges you face every day can be overwhelming. On top of which the pace of change, especially since March 2020, seems to have accelerated exponentially.
To meet the challenges of today, you as leader must embrace new ways of thinking about your business and how work gets done. But how?
Here are seven ways you can expand and strengthen your leadership capacity in spite of the complexities and uncertainties that leaders face every day. The goal here is to lead authentically.
Your employees want to know that the leadership team, including you, has a clear vision, embraces a cultural that they can align with and provides a place where they can contribute and grow.
#1 Seek & Expect Excellence
Great leaders have a passion for excellence. Notice I did not say a passion for perfection. Honestly, perfection is something that is not attainable, yet so many spend too much of their time chasing it.
Leading in excellence and expecting excellence means focusing on the details, putting your people and your customers' needs and desires first. It's also a mindset. It sets the bar high.
#2 Build The Team
The best leaders build people, not just businesses. If you want your company to succeed, growth will not come just from your own efforts.
Think of growth with an abundance mindset where everyone at all levels are challenged to expand their knowledge and where everyone learns, grows and contributes.
Hold them able to meet the challenges and hold yourself accountable to coach and guide where necessary.
Furthermore, this requires a high level of trust. But if you put your trust in them, they will repay you and the organization in kind.
#3 Feedback - Eat It Up
As Ken Blanchard wrote, "Feedback is the breakfast of champions". Make it okay for your people to fail and to learn from their mistakes. In the moment real-time feedback is the best.
#4 Perpetual Curiosity
Be perpetually curious and encourage curiosity at all levels. Finding solutions to problems and challenges demands a high level of curiosity to getting it right (again, not perfect). Keep asking how, what, why and where until your curiosity has been satisfied.
#5 Embrace Flexibility
The workforce of today demands greater flexibility. This requires expansive and more creative ways to lead your people, collaborate, teach and learn, serve your customers and adapt to change. One of my clients has fully embraced this and created a "New Normal Committee" to manage the new ways in which the work gets done.
Oh... and be flexible in words and in actions.
#6 Seek to Understand
Listen actively. Get to know your people personally, their likes, their concerns, their strengths and their opportunities for growth. Have real conversations and make one to one conversation a priority.
Stephen Covey said it best when he wrote, "Seek first to understand. Then be understood".
#7 Don't Stop Believin' (Journey Fan anyone?)
Your company's growth will be limited largely by your ability to grow personally and your capacity to expect the best, inspire their best and believe in the best of your people. Again, this is predicated on building a culture of trust.
The best leaders never stop growing. The best leaders never stop believing in the capacity of their teams to learn and grow. The best leaders never stop believing that success is at hand.
Some Final Thoughts
Think of leadership as a maestro would. Imagine that you're the conductor of a symphony orchestra. Each instrument and performer uniquely qualified and positioned to contribute. One, no more important than the other.
Like the conductor, let go of your need to know it all. The best leaders build on their personal strengths and surround themselves with others who complement their skills. The maestro places great faith in the talents of the individual orchestra members to hit the right notes at the right time.
The conductor's job is to teach, guide and set the vision and pace, and then let them play. Together they artfully create beautiful music in rhythmic harmony.
Until next time!
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