Your Leadership Identity
If you were to ask members of your team to describe your leadership identity, what would they say?
What is your Leadership Identity?
I have had the privilege of speaking to leaders from a wide variety of industries, and, I have a “go to” question I have used that I find very insightful: Describe your leadership identity?
For some, this question is problematic, others may even have a prepared statement on the matter… some even fall silent as they ponder this and pivot the conversation to other subjects. Those that answer often state something along the lines of: “I am the person out in front”, or “I am the final decision maker.” Yet however true these statements may be, this does not answer the question. It is so interesting that a lot of leaders quickly jump to explaining some of the things that they do, but do not address who they are.
“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training”
This phrase provides insight into leadership as well, if we do not understand what our leadership identity is - how can we ever train ourselves to achieve it? Our natural tendencies may have gotten us to our current position, but how could we realize our highest potential?
Why is a Leadership Identity Important?
Scholars define leadership identity as the part of your concept of “self” that is anchored in values, motives, and experiences that a person associates with leading others. This sense of “self” as a leader develops over time as they are reinforced or challenged by feedback and/or circumstance. It is important to note that this “self” should never be a stagnant entity, but rather should be constently providing course correction (or training) along our leadership journey.
Overall, we have come to understand that there are several benefits to having a clear leadership identity. Here are three that rise to the top of the list:
Authenticity: A clearly defined leadership identity assists you in knowing the boundaries which should inform your actions.
Ease in Decision-Making: Having a clear framework assists in the decision making process.
Improved Team Cohesion: A leader who is consistent, provides greater clarity for the team to operate under.
Defining Core Leadership Values
To aid us in defining our Leadership Identity, here are some key points to consider:
What are my core values?
What are my goals as a leader?
How do I communicate my goals and values?
As a leader, we should be able to answer these questions readily, and with elaboration. It is not enough to just have an executive summary, but real insight into who you are, what you want to communicate, and consistently seek out opportunities for growth in these areas.
Once we have defined our core values, the real work begins by leveraging our resources to ensure that these values are communicated, understood, and considered.
If you are interested in a more personal deep dive, we are here to help! Contact us at Leaders Praxis!
