What sort of leader do you expect to be?

What sort of leader do you expect to be?

What sort of assumptions are you making about the type of person who becomes a leader? What kind of pressure are you putting on yourself to be like others before you?

This has been a theme in recent coaching sessions as leaders try to be what others expect them to be or push themselves to behave differently because 'that's what you do'.

In these sessions, I encourage my clients to really think about what makes THEM good at their job. They have got to where they are because of the skills and attributes, values, behaviours and personality. Now is not the time to drop all that to 'become' someone else.

Sometimes we think of our job as the tasks we do, the goals we acheive, the projects we deliver - all STUFF.

Yes, by all means write that down - it's great on the CV, but now look a little deeper.

What is it about YOU that got that work done.

Was it because you are a great communicator?

That you really listen?

That you intuitively know how your people are feeling?

That you can see patterns in figures?

Dig deeper and you'll see some of your natural abilities shining through.

Be yourself, be honest and keep those attributes as you progress.