Yesterday I spent an inspiring morning at Rudding Park with Quarterdeck learning how to be an inspirational leader.
Honestly, I went along as a geek-out. I love the theory behind leadership and employee engagement. Workplace culture fascinates me – the people psychology that sits behind it even more so. Six years working in internal communications will do that to you.
I don’t consider myself to be a leader of anyone but my own good self these days, so I wasn’t expecting to have to do any soul-searching.
Boy was I wrong about that.
The skills you need to be a leader – to be able to motivate, to act with consistency, to listen (my goodness did we listen to each other), to have vision, to trust enough to step back. All things you need to work for yourself, to deal with clients, to be an excellent collaborator.
The biggest takeaway for me was to be brave. Step up. Act more. Act bigger. Show up to work and bring your best self, every single time.
Why not? Why aren’t we all pushing ourselves just a little bit more every day? Because it’s easier, isn’t it. To think “oh I couldn’t do that”. Safer not to. Reassuring, actually, to tell ourselves the myths we’ve told ourselves – or have been told – for our entire lives.
I’m not creative. I’m not good with people. I’m disorganised. I’m not a sporty person so I don’t get on with exercise. I could write that book, but I don’t have time.
Look. We can’t all do everything. That’s a fact. But if there’s one big dream you’ve got, and something holding you back from that thing… maybe it’s time to be the change.
Just one step. Why not today? What are you really afraid of?