I recently had the pleasure of learning with Ella Bell Smith at the Women Presidents Organization conference. Her workshop was both sobering and inspiring. Here are some thoughts to ponder from her:
- Have you paused to consider followership? In other words, are you worth following as a leader? In what ways are you, in what ways are you not?
- Are you as a leader helping people be and become their best selves? Two things that work to inspire this: instilling hope and offering a safe space to learn. Additionally, a culture of failure creates more failure.
- Great questions to ask: What are we learning? What’s in the way? What are we changing?
- Being a leader hurts. This is not the same as Imposter Syndrome.
- Who gives you an “atta girl?” How can you say this to yourself?
Knowing who you are is leadership. The good, the bad and the ugly. Grow your good.
Bonus exercise: At the end of each day, write a list of your good that day. Ask people when you forget – how am I good? Know your good and tell others. Good growing!