They say you bring past relationships into new ones. I believe the same is true of leadership. The way we lead today is shaped by our experiences – both when we were leading or when we were led. As with any new relationship, we decide what to bring into our next opportunity to lead. “Do I keep doing what I’ve always done?” “Do I leave things behind?” “Do I do something new or different?”
As I think about those questions, I’m also aware that we, as leaders, are still people who have edges and spiky bits. We’re imperfect. We’ll get things wrong, doubt ourselves on our hardest days, and feel unstoppable on our best. When I was at ATB, I heard a phrase that’s stuck with me ever since: “People deserve great – not perfect – leaders.” This truth continues to shape who I am today, that leadership asks us to be mindful of those edges, to reflect on our experiences, and to constantly strive to be better.
In Fierce Conversations, Susan Scott talks about the “emotional wake” you leave as a leader. The concept is summed up well from an article published on FierceInc.com:
“Think of an emotional wake like an earthquake. In the wake of the quake, after the rumbling and friction deep within the earth’s tectonic plates has ceased, there may be after-effects: trembling, buildings crumbling, and perhaps a few smaller quakes. Your words and the conversations that you have deliver a similar effect: an aftertaste, aftermath, or afterglow.”
Your leadership practice is uniquely yours and is shaped by your personality, experiences, and choices. That means you have to own it and take responsibility for how you show up every day. It’s what great leaders do.
Image Credit: Franz Bachinger | https://pixabay.com/users/franz26-1553839/
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