How I convinced my client that she isn’t a bad leader!
Vanessa Judelman
Author. Leadership Coach. Executive Leadership Advisor. Leadership Trainer. President at Mosaic People Development
I had a breakthrough this week with one of my coaching clients.
When I first started working with her, she said, “Vanessa, I don’t think that I am a good leader.”
To be honest, a comment like this is more common than you may think.
People have this image in their minds of what a “good leader” looks like and how they “should” act to be an effective leader.
I’m not sure where this image comes from.
Could it be the movies?
Do people think that they need to be inspirational like Tom Hanks in?Apollo?or Robin Williams in?Dead Poets Society?
Do they think that they need to be a drill sergeant like Meryl Streep in?Devil Wears Prada?to be effective?
The truth is that you should never try to emulate anyone else’s leadership style.
It will come across as inauthentic and feel wrong.
Rather, your job as a leader is to be the best version of yourself.
You will have strengths and things that you love about leading others.
You will have weaknesses and struggle with things that you find challenging about leadership.
This is totally normal for all leadership styles.
To be an effective leader, you need to develop your own approach to leadership.
For example, you may be a leader who prioritizes action, collaboration, and encouragement.
Or, your tendencies as a leader may be more focused on reliability, objectivity, and challenge.
Neither of these approaches to leadership is good or bad.
They are not right or wrong.
They are just different.
So, as I told my client, please remove that voice in your head which says, “I am a bad leader”.
Leadership is a learned skill.
You just need to learn HOW to lead in your own way.
To develop as a leader, you will need to push yourself out of your comfort zone to learn new skills.
You will most certainly need to overcome challenges as you grow and develop in your role.
Take on this challenge.
Get out of your comfort zone.
This is how you will develop an authentic and unique leadership brand that is just right for you.