Signs You Are a Self-Aware Leader Who Has “Grown” In Their Career
“Today, I’m not the same person that started their career ten years ago. Nor do I want to be. My growth as a leader has come through my mistakes and learning’s, which has allowed me to constantly refine who I am as a leader.”
“You are never as great as everyone says you are not, nor as bad as your critics may say – the secret is to manage that gap.” – Meghan M. Biro
This past week I sat down with my good friend and business partner Meghan M. Biro to discuss her latest book, The Truth about Leadership: The No-Excuses Guide to Getting the Right Things Done. We talked about what it takes to elevate your leadership game, how effective leaders are born, not made, and why self-awareness is one of the most important traits a leader can possess.
I wanted to share my interview with Meghan with you as I think her insights will help transform those who aspire to be better leaders into ones that people want to follow. Enjoy!
To Your Career Growth and Development,
What are the number one thing successful leaders have in common?
Meghan: Wow – they do exist. I would say that successful leaders all have a strong sense of self-awareness and self-efficacy or belief in their abilities. They believe that the answer lies within themselves and their ability to get things done.
Many people think great leaders are born, not made. Do you feel that’s true?
Meghan: Yes – I strongly believe that successful leaders are born into a set of conditions and circumstances which gives them a tremendous opportunity to develop their natural leadership skills. If they have strong support from a family member or other key figure. Especially in terms of encouragement and affirmation about their own capabilities. This provides a foundation for them to become self-aware, self-confident, and self-directed over time. They’re given opportunities to take responsibility for things at an early age – even if it’s just chores around the house. In fact, if a child has been given responsibilities at an early age, this is a strong indicator. That the parents believed in their abilities and pushed them to take on more challenging things as they got older. Another factor that makes great leaders is those who were not afraid of trying new things. Pushing themselves out of their comfort zones.
Do you think there’s only one way to be a successful leader?
Meghan: Yes – I believe that successful leaders all share basic commonalities such as having high self-awareness, belief in how much power they hold and using it for good, displaying empathy towards others, etc., but the amount of time it takes to become an effective leader varies from person to person. For, if you’re naturally inclined to be a leader. Your leadership journey will be much shorter than someone who isn’t as naturally inclined.
What sets leaders apart from managers?
Meghan: I think you can have both – a manager and a leader within the same person. But if I had to pick one, I would say that great leaders inspire those around them. And they care deeply about their people and what they’re doing. They also want to propel them forward toward success. Managers tend to control those around them or try to micro-manage. What’s going on in an attempt to keep things “on the straight and narrow”. When you feel like someone is just checking off boxes during their daily tasks. It can leave you feeling very demotivated over time?
How often should leader communicate with their team to have the greatest positive impact?
Meghan: I think it’s important to find a happy medium, rather than over-communicate or under-communicate. If you are always checking in on your employees. But not offering any new direction or guidance they may feel micromanaged. If you are only communicating when there are problems brewing. It can cause low morale and lack of motivation among your team members. I think that if you’re providing feedback about what people did well that day. How they’ve grown, etc., then this helps create an environment where teamwork is valued and employees feel heard. A lot of times people don’t want to bring up issues until they become huge. Because they don’t want to be perceived as whiners or complainers. But you need to get those things out on the table and deal with them quickly.
What tactics do you recommend for leader who are looking to become more relatable?
Meghan: It’s all about authenticity. Leaders can start by sharing their own vulnerabilities. Exposing themselves in a way that others may not normally expect of them. This creates trust and allows people to see that both strengths and weaknesses exist within everyone – we’re all human after all. People also appreciate when they feel like their voice is heard. They feel like part of a team where their ideas really matter.
Conclusion:
I think that what’s important is for leaders to realize that there isn’t one perfect way of leading everyone. (i.e. you can’t communicate the same way with all people, nor should you). And it takes time to get really good at leading others. Keep trying new things – different strategies and tactics – and see what works best for you and your team!