Your leadership presence comes from deep within yourself. By becoming more self-aware and committing to lasting change you can lead with purpose, passion and presence. As an award-winning leadership and change management coach, I have helped hundreds of women to become more successful leaders. Here I share some of my top tips on embracing and managing change in yourself so that you can inspire, motivate and encourage those around you.
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The world needs more women who are empowered to lead like women. For too long many female leaders with strong potential have been held back by a gap between their confidence and competence. This lack of confidence is often made worse by predominantly masculine working environments where feminine qualities are not embraced and valued enough.
If your dream is to be a vibrantly alive and connected leader, one who looks ahead to the future and brings their true self to every situation, I can help. It’s time to close the competence and confidence gap, with a little help from an award-winning leadership and change management coach (yours truly!).
Become More Self-Aware
Research from psychologist Daniel Goleman shows that self-awareness is crucial for all levels of success. In fact, emotional intelligence (EQ) gained from self-awareness is a more important predictor of successful leadership than IQ! Once you become more self-aware, you can stop yourself from falling into the same metaphorical holes that have been holding you back from achieving your true potential all these years. Feeling stuck in a rut and unsure how to embark on your journey of greater self-awareness, don’t worry. Every successful leader has been where you are right now. In my eBook on becoming a strong female leader, I introduce you to a poem called “There’s A Hole in My Sidewalk” by Portia Nelson which sums up this feeling of being trapped by our habits and needing to break self-defeating habits that aren’t serving you well in your life for a different result.
Commit to Lasting Change
Everyone can say that they are going to make changes, stick to New Year’s resolutions, become better versions of themselves. Truly committing to the consistent action that brings about sustainable change requires discipline, passion and drive. The first step of embracing and managing change in yourself is making a firm commitment to this change. It is often the hardest step to take. One of the first things I cover in my women’s leadership programs is that you must lead yourself through change before you can lead others through their transformation. This commitment to your growth is where your leadership presence comes from and it is how you learn to lead with purpose, passion and presence.
Build Meaningful Connections
The most successful women leaders are likeable, generous and respected. These attributes have allowed them to develop positive and fruitful relationships with people who can support, influence, validate and energize them. I recommend that you focus on having twelve to eighteen valuable connections in your tribe, more if that works for you! Think about who you currently have in your network that supports you at work or home, shares their will respectfully challenge you, can champion you and influence on your behalf and make you feel good about your work and yourself in general. A positive connection will make you feel energized — they will not drain your energy or detract from your journey. Negative connections prevent you from moving forward and try to hold you in the same place. There’s no place for negative people in your tribe — everyone close to you should have your back, not hold you back.
I hope that these hints and tips have helped you feel empowered to begin your journey of self-empowerment and success. I encourage you to download my free eBook for further advice and perhaps consider whether one-to-one coaching participating in one of our leadership development programs might help you achieve your goals. We all grow stronger by raising each other up.