Leadership skills – what shape are yours?
People come in all shapes and sizes. So do leaders. And just like we don’t get to choose the genes we are born with, we don’t really choose whether we like to talk or prefer to listen. These things are just innate. And within reason, we can influence our shape and size with the right nutrition and training. And we can also learn to speak up more or talk less if feedback tells us it is required and we are open to it.
So why do some of us try so hard to be the version of a leader to fit in with everybody else? While there are definitely leadership attributes that we can all learn to develop – being ourselves is the best way to have people follow.
We all know the scenario where you are good at what you do and at some point, you are promoted and end up managing your peers. A tricky situation, especially if another team member anticipated getting the role. And if you don’t get any training, it can be a minefield to navigate.
While some organisations are good at giving leadership training, often it can be overlooked or delayed because of the busyness of work. And so, before you know it, you are learning to lead through trial and error, observing others and generally trying to be who you think you need to be. It can be brutal!
There is a lot of highly competent leadership training out there on offer. But to my mind, emotional intelligence leadership that gives you self-awareness and self-management of emotions is a crucial part of being a good leader. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you can do leadership your way and your style, if you just take the time to examine what that is. With training and confidence, it can make a big difference to outputs.
If you are interested in finding out more, message me to chat further. https://sharonstoneconsulting.com.au/leadership-coaching-sydney/#schedule-a-consultation
