During a recent phone call with a client, I was asked what were my specialties. They wanted to know what I “preferred” to present and what was my true expertise. I responded with my pitch, telling them about my background and ways I have impacted teams and organizations. I passionately shared how I have helped develop future leaders and how I empowered teams to excel. But something was missing and I really needed to put my finger on my leadership pulse. I started to think:
How do I really make an impact?
In what ways have I fulfilled my promises to clients and colleagues?
What are the highlights of my leadership?
Whatever our field of expertise and whatever skills we excel at, it is essential to identify how our leadership matters. Leading is not just about our laundry list of accomplishments but also about enabling meaningful change. Here are seven ways to take a look at your leadership highlights:
1. Acknowledge The Big Achievements
Probably a first stab at highlighting the way we lead is to develop a list of our recent home runs.
- What projects went really well?
- What did we work on that utilized our true talents and strengths?
- Where did we receive positive feedback?
- What types of work are we being given or asked to perform?
2. Recognize The Impact Of Your Work
Our leadership involves not just our technical contributions but also how we affect new direction and action. Were new processes or ways of doing business altered as a result of what we shared? Did our team or a team we helped, grow into a stronger entity? Have we improved someone’s professional or personal life?
[Tweet “Leadership is not just our expertise; it’s about improving someone’s life.”]
3. Look At New Relationships Forged
It is impossible to look at the highlights of our leadership without viewing the people we connect with. Building deeper bonds with others is paramount way to understand the success of our leading. Locate the new networks and groups that were influenced by our leadership and also think about how they energize us. Maybe we have helped two or three diverse groups or departments come together and understand each other’s challenges.
4. Identify Speaking Up Situations
Look back on the places we stepped out of our comfort zone and offered a transformative perspective. Did we take a big risk in leading others down an unfamiliar path, which resulted in a beneficial outcome? Speaking out displays a brave side of how we lead.
5. Pinpoint Areas To Redo
Although it can be difficult, highlighting our leadership requires us to honestly see the mistakes and failures we made. Ask yourself:
- What one thing would I do differently to improve my leadership?
- Who could give me constructive and clear feedback to fix an error?
- What are the lessons I learned from this misstep?
6. Discover Ways To Continue Growing
Without a commitment to lifelong learning, our leadership will stagnate. Being a global leader involves being open minded to new ideas and willing to embrace scary choices. We can’t allow our fear of mastering new skills keep us from exploring concepts that may seem uncomfortable at first.
[Tweet “Strong leaders are not fearful of mastering new and unfamiliar skills.”]
7. Create A Leadership Mantra or Philosophy
A great way to pull together your leadership highlights is through words that may describe you. Make a list of five adjectives that personify your leadership. Put them up on a whiteboard or flip chart and say them out loud. “This is the leader I am and I feel proud of my leadership choices.”
How would you highlight your leadership?
Great article Terri!
I especially like #6: Discover Ways To Keep Growing. For me, a commitment to lifelong learning is essential. When we no longer have that desire or thirst to learn, we’re done for—and we settle into stagnation and complacency. A place of death for most of us…
Being willing to try new things and learn different ways of approaching our routines is critical for leaders to be relevant. Recently I worked with a few managers who were having a difficult time seeing the need to view their challenges from a different perspective. That stagnant thinking was holding them back but when they were willing to be more open minded with alternative approaches, their teams followed suit. Then change came.
Thanks LaRae!
Terri, Excellent post. One of my favorite exercises to do with employees (and my MBA students) is developing a leadership credo (their “this I believe of leadership”) values, operating principles and goals. I’m always amazed at how many people say “you know, I never really thought about all this before.”
I love your idea of a leadership credo, Karin because it does give leaders an opportunity to reflect on what is important to them and what they truly stand for. I use a similar technique with a leadership coat of arms, which also allows leaders to think about their professional and personal values as well as visualize where they want to go.
Thanks Karin!
Love this, Terri! I’ve noticed that the relationships forged are what sticks with me. I’ve led some huge projects and programs to success but it’s the people who made the experience a meaningful one, not only the pats on the back when I crossed the finish line.
This post also reminds me of creating a STAR story for interviews. Share the Situation, Task, Action and Result. It’s not only what we did that matters but our impact. You help us take our reflection and understanding of our leadership to the next level. Great piece I’ll definitely share.
Thanks, Terri!
I never heard of a STAR story but that is a great process for leaders to follow! I think leaders sometimes get caught up in the tasks so much that they forget the most important element-the impact.
Thanks for sharing that wonderful strategy, Alli!
Terri, just wanted to write you a note to say THANK YOU for all your fabulous leadership articles. You are an inspiration to me!
Thanks Cynthia for all your kind words! I appreciate your motivational leadership too!