What’s Keeping Me From Stepping Into My Leadership?
One possible answer: YOU.
I know. Harsh. But hear me out.
Last week a terrific new client got buy-in from her leadership to grow and lead an emerging division of her company. Her assignment: Make an org chart with her as CEO.
Dream, right?
She sat down in her office and instead fussed over her newborn. Aware she was procrastinating, she settled into a coffee shop to work, and still, the cursor blinked unrelentingly as her page stayed blank.
Nightmare, right?
Another client realized when she’s in certain meetings, she looks to her senior leader to speak, and yet he sat back. In these situations, she had to step up and walk into unfamiliar scenarios where she felt uncomfortable. At times, she felt abandoned.
Two stories, same conclusion. Despite earning their opportunities, neither of these ladies was fully convinced of their leadership.
There’s this narrative that leaders are born. And sure, if your mom is the Queen of England, maybe you’re in a better position to do the job because you’ve literally been groomed for it all your life. (All eyes on you, William. 👀)
But for many of us, this “leader” moniker is something that dawns and emerges. Like any new identity–committed partner, parent, woman, adult–it’s a loaded label saddled with high expectations and no playbook.
So, if we feel we’re called to lead, to wade into that new role:
We must write our own playbook and, most importantly, run the plays.
Like a teenager learning to flirt for the first time, we’re going to be a bit awkward. But we learn by taking risks, observing the feedback, and adjusting the next attempt. There’s no special formula or gene sequence. It’s just plain maturing.
At some point, to be the leader you want to be, you decide to stop fighting your potential and seize opportunities without ambivalence because being uncomfortable and imperfect is part of the process - even if it’s this big secret no leadership book ever mentions.
Well, the secret is out. Let it spread like wildfire. 🔥