How to Get to the HEART of How You Lead

Ok, I admit it. I’m pushing you.

Pushing you to shift your mindset from BASIC, to BOLD, to BADA$$.

And you’re probably discovering: IT AIN’T EASY!

But know that you’re not alone on the journey. I’m right there with you, helping you to put the building blocks together!

We’ve talked about one of the essential building blocks to navigating to BADA$$ leadership: VALUES. Today we’re going to start the conversation about the next building block: Leadership Brand!

Leadership Brand answers the question: Who are you as a leader?

Everyone – those in formal leadership roles and those who are individual contributors – has a leadership brand. We all lead in our own lives and in our work, whether we are anointed a leader or not. We each make decisions about what we want to accomplish, how we’ll use our time, and the resources we’ll engage to make things happen. We. All. Lead. Ourselves first and sometimes others.

The questions become: Who are you as a leader? What’s your leadership brand?

Do you have a clear leadership brand? Check this interview scenario out and decide.

Interviewer: Tell me about your leadership style.

????Basic Leader: I don’t micromanage. I like to give the people I work with the opportunity to get things done in their own way. For example…

????Bold Leader: I make it clear to those I work with the important role they play, and I give them clear expectations and room to own the work. Sometimes they fail, and that’s OK. But they typically succeed beyond expectations. For example…

????BadA$$ Leader: I’m a motivator and an excellent assessor of talent. I listen to what each person on my team needs, and I challenge each of them to think critically and do what’s best to exceed expectations. My role is to make sure they own their capabilities and to help them stretch to meet their professional and personal development goals while they contribute to the team’s goals. The teams I lead create results that we’re proud of while they achieve personal fulfillment as well. For example…

Do you see the difference? It’s knowledge and ownership of your leadership brand!

In my coaching, I help leaders uncover the answers to three crucial questions that help them define their leadership brand:

??Who AM I?

??What do I DO like no one else can?

??What is the IMPACT I have on others, teams, organizations, and the world?

Doing this work gives you a clear declaration of what you stand for and how you’re changing the world. One of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is understand, believe in, and be able to articulate clearly who you are and what you stand for as a leader. Then live it!

Corporate Soldier Sidebar: It’s not just about understanding YOUR leadership brand. Understanding the answers to these three questions for those you work with is extremely powerful. When we have clarity around these three questions for our team members and colleagues, we can give them the space and support to do great things.

When we try to answer these questions, most of us reflect on our resume, our body of work. We can outline all the things we’ve lead or accomplished and the skills and talents we have.

But leadership brand is so much more. It’s who you are when you strip all those skills, accomplishments, etc. down to their bare essence.

It’s the HEART of your leadership.

Why HEART? Because our heart provides the blood and oxygen to our body that allows us to live and impact the world. Your leadership brand reflects the heart of how you lead. It provides you with the intention (life blood) that fuels how you live and impact the world.

Here’s your takeaway:

BASIC leaders focus on skills, talents, and accomplishments to define their leadership brand.

BOLD leaders know that their leadership brand is greater than the sum of their skills, talents, and accomplishments, but they are hit – or – miss in the delivery of their brand.

BADA$$ leaders own, communicate, and intentionally deliver their unique leadership brand every day because they know the answers to who they are, what they do, and how they impact the world.

Do you know who you ARE, what you DO like no one else, and how you IMPACT the world?

If you’re not crystal clear on the answers, click here, and lets discuss how I can help.

BE AUTHENTIC.

CHOOSE BOLDLY.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

-Tracy