Imagine a moment in your life when someone's leadership profoundly impacted you. Perhaps it was a mentor, a teacher, or a colleague. In this blog, we explore the transformative power of such leadership through a conversation with Ben Grimes, founder and coach of BC G Leadership Coaching. Ben gives essential insights into the transformative potential of leadership.
"Leaders are special because they unlock potential and inspire greatness in others, develop amazingly powerful teams and reach goals that seem unattainable."
Navigating the Path from Challenging Personal Growth to Leadership
"When we think about who's a leader, and we think about whether or not we individually are leaders or can be leaders, I really think it's important to remember that leadership is not something you're born into. It's not something that you have a gene for or don't. It really is a skill and a mindset and a being that can be learned."
Leadership journeys often begin unexpectedly, influenced by unique experiences and guidance from mentors who support our growth. Being a leader is about developing skills and mindset over time rather than just holding a title or having specific traits.
Take Ben, for example. His leadership journey kicked off at West Point, where he faced a challenging situation that led to a suspension due to an honor code violation. This setback forced him to reflect on his actions and their potential impact on his future. During this tough period, he started to understand that leadership goes beyond giving orders - it's about helping others discover their hidden potential.
Every challenge life throws at us carries the potential for valuable lessons. By turning difficult situations into opportunities for personal growth, we lay a solid foundation for our unique leadership styles. True leaders are those who build trust and help others achieve even the toughest goals.
The Pillars of Leadership: Trust, Transparency, Empathy, and Passion
Leadership isn't merely about giving orders; it's about fostering trust, transparency, empathy, and passion within an organization. Trust is fundamental. In today's evolving workplace, as the return-to-office debate rages on, trust plays a pivotal role.
Trust: Trust is a big deal in leadership, just like in a military team. It means believing in your team members, even when you can't see them working. Leaders should trust their employees to do their jobs well, even if they're not in the same place.
Transparency: Leaders should act in a way that matches what they say, and the organization's values should match the leader's personal values. Through practicing honesty and openness, leaders stay transparent and consistent.
Empathy: Empathy means understanding and caring about what your team members need. In the conversation, they talked about how leaders should be aware of their employees' work-life balance and be understanding. Being empathetic helps leaders build good relationships with their team.
Passion: Leaders who are excited about what they do inspire their teams and make them more committed. Passion is like a fuel that drives leadership.
The Essence of Authentic Leadership
"It's connecting to who we are as individuals and what's important to us as individuals, and leaders going forward are going to have to recognize that understanding how to empathize with that and inspire the relationship between the employee and the organization."
Leaders must understand that true leadership involves inspiring actions aligned with their intent rather than merely exercising authority.
Leaders are like caretakers of their organization's values. Being honest means matching your own values with the organization's and making sure these values are followed in rules and actions. Leaders who are kind, treat everyone with respect and show professionalism set a good example in their organization.
Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic made work change faster. Leaders have to adjust to a new way of working, where people want to balance their jobs and personal lives. To keep employees engaged, even when they work from home or in different places, it's important for leaders to understand and care about what employees need and make sure it matches the company's goals.
Identifying Leaders: Trust as the Foundation
"Leadersre looking out for other people. They're not looking out for themselves. They take care of themselves, for sure. But in terms of, you know, where we started, leaders are building other people up. The people who are the folks who are articulating concerns and advocating for other people. Those are your leaders."
Leaders can be found everywhere in a company. You can spot them by looking for people who speak up for their colleagues and raise concerns for others. When there's trust in the workplace, leaders naturally show up.
Being a leader is something you can learn and choose to become rather than something you are born with. It all starts with making a conscious decision and then taking action to gain the necessary skills and mentality. Being a leader isn't defined by a fancy job title; it's defined by your character and your ability to positively impact people.
In a world full of possibilities, leadership serves as the catalyst that can improve individuals and organizations, leading to success and greatness. As you reflect on your own leadership journey, keep in mind that you have the power to forge your path to greatness through trustworthiness, empathy, and a commitment to serving with kindness and integrity.
Listen to the full conversation.
Have you explored other insightful episodes of Qonversations? Here are some of our recommendations:
- Episode 038: "Leadership Integrity"
- Episode 035: "The Inner Journey of Leadership"
- Episode 026: "Leadership in the Experience Age"
