I remember telling my boss in the first week of my new job that I wasn’t going to make decisions or start improvements for his approval; I wasn't there to impress him.
I was going to do what I'm planning to, because it's the right things to do.
I still stand by that.
A lot of people spend their careers chasing approval without even realising it. Approval from managers, leadership teams or people with louder voices and bigger job titles.
You don’t only see it sitting in meetings. You hear about it from the meetings you’re not sat in - from people questioning why there are an incredible amount of “yes” people around one table.
In this dynamic, leadership stops becoming about impact and starts becoming about reluctance to step up or protection of egos.
Why did we sign up in the first place?
To lose our sence of self or stay quiet is never the reason we step into leadership roles. We step in because we want to be a force for change.
The strongest leaders I’ve worked with are never the ones looking for applause. They are the ones focused on doing what is right, even when it isn't popular. They are bold, and strong enough to back themselves.
"I don't care who gets the credit."
An ex-boss once said, “I don’t care who gets the credit,” when giving away her own ideas to help move things forward. An approach which created a completely different atmosphere. One where people felt safe to think, speak and act.
People feel the difference between someone trying to look like a leader and someone genuinely wanting to make things better.
One creates noise. The other creates change.
Until next time, Aileen.
Exceptional Leaders, Episode 2 Is out Monday 1st June.
Catch up here...
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