The cost of impersonal leadership (and how to lead as yourself)

Why Making Leadership Personal Matters

Making your leadership personal isn't just a benefit you should expect when you reach a certain level. It is literally the most essential ingredient to being a leader.

The whole point of leadership growth is to gain insights, experience true transformation, and develop competencies you can apply anywhere, anytime to be a better leader.

Without accounting for your own uniqueness, you're left trying to apply various tips, tools, and techniques that work for someone else.

No wonder rising to a higher level of leadership often comes with doubt and uncertainty. In fact, over 60% of CEOs say they sometimes experience imposter syndrome, according to Korn Ferry research.

New roles require a new approach, yet many leaders—myself included—fall into the trap of trying to twist themselves into what they think each role requires them to be. This inevitably leads to increased exhaustion and decreased impact. Why? Because it takes far more energy to be something you're not.

You need a resilient strategy for your leadership.

Think of a business strategy that can't adapt or scale effectively with growth and change. It wouldn't take long to realize the cost of constantly overhauling the strategy is simply too high.

The same goes for leadership.

YOU are the one consistent factor in every new level or situation you encounter. By learning to be the leader only you can be, you'll know how to confidently step into any new situation, challenge, opportunity, or role and contribute your best.

In the remainder of this post, I'll share the most powerful way you, as a rising leader, can be yourself as a leader. It's simple, but it will take some thought to apply it.

How to lead as YOURSELF.

Imagine you've been promoted to Senior Director. You now have greater leadership responsibility than you had before, and the stakes are higher.

You must hire and train new employees. You must align your team around the organization's goals. You must make sure your business unit is profitable. You must help your team overcome tensions and solve complex problems of all kinds.

How will you do this? What will you notice, focus on, and care about? These questions reveal the unique lens you bring to everything you do.

Over 20 years working with senior leaders, I observed that no two leaders ever approach a challenge in the same way.

Sure, you can train yourself to focus on certain things, but you cannot escape your unique lens. When you understand and embrace it, you will know exactly how you add value to your work and team.

Examples of a unique lens in leadership.

Let's say we're launching a new project together. Which of these questions resonates most with you?

• Do we have the right people to succeed?

• Where can I find the information to create a winning plan?

• How does this project align with our vision and why is it important?

• What gaps must be addressed, and how can I connect the dots so we're all working together?

• Who should I talk to first to begin building momentum?

• How does this project support and impact our current priorities?

• How can we execute this work efficiently, while continuing to make progress on our larger goals?

• What question would you ask?

Some of these questions may feel essential, while others are not that important to you—that's a sign of your uniqueness.

And each of these questions (and countless more) bring a necessary benefit to a team. Every project needs the right people, a strong plan, a "why" the project is even worth it, and so on.

Your leadership challenge.

There's no short cut. The key to confidence is knowing how you can immediately add value to the situations you find yourself in. It requires discovery and struggle to really understand yourself, and the clarity you find paves the way to thrive at a whole new level.

1. Reflect deeply on what you naturally notice, focus on, and care about.

2. Understand how your unique lens directly benefits your work and team.

3. Practice confidently bringing your unique value to every situation.

Commit to continuing your discovery until you reach clarity. This foundation will build your confidence and support you as you grow into the leader you aspire to be.