Dear Leaders,
I’ve been thinking about a phrase I’ve used in several recent leadership coaching conversations. In each conversation, my goal was to listen deeply and learn about each leader’s strengths and opportunities for growth. Although every individual was different, I found myself returning to the same phrase again and again.
At the end of each conversation, I offered this advice from my own leadership journey:
“One of the best things I ever did as a leader was work on myself.”
As leaders, we cannot underestimate the impact our personal struggles can have on our effectiveness. Whether we struggle with vulnerability, organization, focus, managing our emotions, or bouncing back after failure, it is essential that we work on ourselves so we can better serve the people we lead.
And working on ourselves does not have to be done alone.
For years, I’ve read self-help books, practiced prayer and meditation, journaled, and relied on people who I know care about and love me enough to call me out when I fall short of who I am striving to become. By no means do I have it all figured out. But with each job change and new leadership experience, I have improved my ability to lead others and much of that growth has been fueled by the work I’ve done to improve myself.
Over the years, I’ve learned a few lessons I want to share with leaders everywhere. These lessons may not be anything you haven’t heard before, but with experience and time, they have become increasingly clear to me:
Internal angst will show up in how you lead. Anxiety, fear, and resentment rarely remain hidden. Don’t pass your angst on to others. Energy is contagious, so find a way to pursue peace every day.
Confidence doesn’t come from caring less. It comes from caring deeply while being secure in who you are and what you bring.
Courage is not the result of being fearless. It is the byproduct of being afraid, nervous, or even anxious—and moving forward anyway so you can live according to your values and truth.
Everything that happens and every way someone responds to you isn’t necessarily personal. More often than not, their response reflects where they are in their journey at that particular moment.
Accepting that you will make mistakes and being willing to own and correct them works better than trying never to mess up. Attempting to lead without making mistakes is unrealistic and exhausting.
Knowing who you are, what you believe, and what you stand for is one of the most important parts of leadership. When you are unsure of yourself, others may become unsure of you too.
Never stop trying to improve yourself. We are imperfect human beings, and there is always room to become better. No matter how much you achieve, keep working to become the best version of yourself. The benefits will show up in every area of your life.
Technical knowledge can and will improve your skills and abilities, but self-awareness and personal growth are essential aspects of effective leadership. The best leaders I know have keen insight into who they are, how they show up, and how others experience them.
I want to encourage leaders everywhere to practice the kind of honest reflection that leads to meaningful change.
Leading others starts with leading yourself.
Until next time, keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!
Yours in Leadership,
Latoya