As 2021 comes to a close, I am turning to a practice that helps crystallize my vision for the New Year. It involves asking myself an end-of-year question. This final Leadership Insight of the year focuses on a question that has been on my mind: Do I impact the world in a positive way, both as an individual and as a leader? I invite you to consider this question or to create one of your own.
For me, having a positive impact – whether as a leader or simply as an individual – begins with self-awareness and personal action. I realistically identify my strengths and areas needing improvement. I then write down my core personal values and leadership values. These become my compass, especially when demands come from many directions. Being aware of how I show up in my life each day – no, scratch that – being aware of how I show up in each moment helps me stay aligned with these values and vision. This is not always easy. It requires cultivating a mindset of self-observation and of being patient with oneself.
Then, because we are not superhuman, we must balance escalating demands with consistent self-care. In the Leadership Insight article, “Does Everything Rest on the Shoulders of the Leader,” we addressed a few ways to do this – by managing perfectionism, using tools to protect ourselves from stress, establishing realistic goals, delegating, and communicating well.
Being a leader takes energy, focus in the midst of competing demands, and mindful presence. Being present in this moment, with this team member, in this meeting – at a time when the world is moving at a rapid pace – can have a positive impact because we are actively listening, witnessing, and honoring one another. And remember that leadership can show up in many arenas, such as when parenting, heading up a volunteer committee, being a good neighbor, and honoring self-care, to name a few.
Does leadership include inspiration? Truth telling? Leading by example? How many of these traits have we seen since the pandemic began? What are the stories about great leaders that media outlets are sharing (or not sharing) with us? Are there enough stories of leaders making a positive impact for our young people to emulate?
If we look through the lens of humanizing (versus dehumanizing) our personal and work lives, we will see our employees and colleagues as people first, not just as workers.
For example, what is it like for a new, young employee onboarding at a time when remote workforces are now quite common? How do we establish a quality experience for this young entrant into the workforce, so they become integrated, meeting colleagues who work collaboratively even in the online space? How do we help this young virtual employee achieve moments of growth that often happen through spontaneous interactions in the workplace, but are now missing for so many? Again, viewing through the lens of humanizing the workplace – think person first, worker second.
As 2021 comes to a close, here are some additional end-of-year questions for your consideration:
Thank you for being here as we’ve explored leadership insights this year.
Wishing you an impactful 2022 and Happy New Year,
Renee
Lead well out there!
Our first Leadership Program of the year is virtual, from January 21-23.
For more information, click here. There are still spots left as we only accept 15 participants per program.
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Be well!
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