How To Define Your Unique Leadership Style

One of my clients recently had an opportunity to apply for a dream job. Not only was it in the industry that she wanted, but the type of work was perfectly suited for her best talents. In this role, she would be managing teams in different countries. Since this global management circumstance was new for her, she was nervous about how to answer the interview questions and wanted to spend one of our executive coaching sessions to prepare.

As a mock interview question, I asked her, "How would you define your leadership style?"

She froze. The same way I froze when I've been asked that question when I was applying for new roles. It's not that the question is hard, what's hard is the ability to articulate exactly what your style is and why that style makes you a clear, confident and effective leader.

While some people might think that defining your leadership style is telling people what kind of manager you are, I believe that defining your leadership style is articulating what you stand for as a leader. Why? Because...

As a leader, if you don't know what you stand for,?what will you settle for?

Defining a leadership style built on what you stand for is the first concept I work on with new 1-1 clients. Why is it so important to be clear about who you are and what you stand for as a leader? There are three core reasons:

1: Discerning Well-Meaning Advice

As you rise up the career ladder, you surely you have heard no shortage of opinions or well-meaning advice. It can be tempting to go along with other people's ideas for you, especially if that person is further along or well-regarded. Or, the advice appears to be in your best interest.?Knowing your unique leadership style helps you answer this question:

→ Does this advice move you closer to the type and style of leader you want to become?

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2: Making Hard Decisions

In your life and work, you will be faced with hard decisions such as: Hiring and firing employees, moving forward or quitting projects, taking and leaving jobs, starting and ending relationships. When you have a defined leadership style based on what you stand for, you can clearly discern:?

→ Which decision will leave the legacy I desire? Even if others disagree, what will I feel good about?

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3: Communicating With Others

Your leadership style and brand is essentially the sum of the touch points that people have with you: Teams chats, emails, virtual and in person meetings, even seeing your name or your face. If you overheard people talking about you, what three adjectives would you hope they use??

→ When you communicate to others, do people experience you in a style that aligns with your values?

My client was able to refine and articulate her unique leadership style as "an empathetic and relationship focused leader, who builds successful programs through simple, efficient implementation of complex strategies." Her core leadership values are collaboration, honesty, efficiency, and balance and uses these to guide successful decisions, communications and her drive for results.

Defining and communicating your leadership style brings you clarity. It helps you be clear on your best yeses or noes no matter what is popular, culturally appealing, or demanded of you. Keep reading below for specific tips to define your unique leadership style.

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↗? If you are a high potential, new manager or mid-level working manager who is ready get out of the weeds and transform their role at work from doing to leading, enrollment is open now for my popular course, Advance From Doer to Leader!

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In your life, and especially as a leader in the workplace today who will make and influence many decisions, so many things will look right. There are just so many yeses and noes in a day. Knowing your leadership style and the values you stand for gives you the discernment—not between right and wrong but between what looks right and what is right.?Essentially, defining and communicating your leadership style is built on knowing what you value (what you stand for) as a leader.

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK TO HELP YOU DEFINE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE:

1: Who is a leader I admire? What are 3-4 words I use to describe them??

The qualities we admire in others give us clues to what we value in our own lives.

2: What qualities must be present in my work to make it meaningful and sustainable???

Beware of “shoulds” here - some people have a non-negotiable of a collaborative environment while others want independence.

3: If I overheard people talking about me, what 3-5 qualities do I hope they mention?

What would I be most excited to hear about myself? Not because culturally I “should” act that way, but because the quality is deeply true for me?

4: Where do I feel angry or resentful right now? What is missing from that situation?

Anger and resentment are often clues that a value for you has been crossed. (i.e. resentment toward consistent group work could be a clue that you value independence)

?? Try this next to boost your peace, your potential and your paycheck: When you narrow your leadership values words down to five, do an audit of your leadership style and decisions.?

• Consider: Are people experiencing you in alignment with your desired style? How will you know?
• Evaluate: Are you making decisions that honor what you stand for as a leader?
• Ask for feedback: Communicate the desired leadership style you want to exude and ask trusted colleagues for ideas to move you closer to the type of leader you want to become.

What words did you come up with for your unique leadership style? Share them in the comments!

If you are a high potential, new manager or mid-level working manager who is ready get out of the weeds and transform their role at work from doing to leading, enrollment is open now for my popular course, Advance From Doer to Leader!

NOTE: My public courses are for women, however, some of my clients desire to bring this course "in house" and offer it as a workshop to their entire employee base who fall into the high potential, new-ish manager criteria. If you'd like to chat about this option, reply or message me and let me know!

Kelli Thompson is a leadership & executive coach, award-winning speaker and author who is on a mission to help women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She offers executive coaching, leadership workshops and keynote speaking to lead with more clarity and confidence.