Being a leader in today’s business world is a courageous endeavour. Not only is the world changing the fastest ever, but the way we relate to each other has significantly transformed.
As a leader, on the outside (what others can see and observe), the pressure to perform at the highest levels with minimum errors is gigantic. However, on the inside (what only you can see and observe), the scenery might be different, complicated, complex, challenging and overwhelming at times.
If you don’t look/feel like the typical outspoken leader, but you have the innate desire to help make the business world a kinder, safer, inclusive and diverse place, this article is for you. You too can make a game-changing impact with the style of leadership you are naturally inclined to have. What makes you a courageous leader is the emotional awareness you bring to your organisation. If you are at the beginning of your journey as a leader, please do the work:
• to understand your triggers and your boundaries
• how to delegate successfully
• how to bring people together behind a common goal
• how to understand the contribution and impact others in your team can make
• how to face disappointments and hurt when things don’t go your way (in a calm and grounded way)
In my eight+ years of helping leaders become inspiring and courageous, one thing is clear – the impact on others has positive ripple effects once the leader embraces their emotions and learns how to make peace with all their inner critics. Their standards continue to be extremely high for their work and contribution, but self-care and emotional resilience now come first.
What happens next on their leadership journey is that these leaders come from a place of strength, inner confidence, and a way of being that encourages trust- building and open communication. Yes, all of these take time to develop. And it’s clear that the learning never stops. These resilient leaders continue to grow with each experience and interaction.
In practical words:
• take it one step at a time
• remind yourself why you are pursuing a leadership role
• engage with other courageous leaders in safe and authentic communities
• create habits that will support your ongoing development as a leader.
There are numerous online and offline resources that can help you grow as tomorrow’s leaders. And with this abundance of resources, an overwhelming confusion is created. The best place to start is to understand your natural inclinations/ your proclivities for impact with a data-driven resource that many companies such as Nike, Dyson, Oracle, and PWC have already used for their leaders.
