Be Your Own Kind of Leader

“Don’t be like the rest of them, Darling.” ~ Coco Chanel

As we grow in our leadership roles, we might think that we need to fit a set “type” of leader. This is inauthentic. Be yourself.

If you are not a super-charismatic person, don’t try to fake charisma. That comes across as weird. But you can authentically focus on things for which you have a genuine enthusiasm or vision. If you can genuinely say, “I think it would be great if…” you can bring others along, too.

Lean into your natural strengths and expert skills. If you know how to do something really well, teach others. If you know how to bring people together to work as a team, that’s a skill to use as a leader. If you strategize and organize to get things done, that’s a leadership skill for you.

Not every facet of your personality will be a leadership skill—your ability to lie on a couch and binge-watch an entire season of a TV show in a weekend is probably not going to be the “you” who leads an effective team. Bring the best version of you to lead.

And then you can binge-watch the next season to recharge next weekend—work/life balance is important, too.

(image source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=836712948624772&set=a.344006147895457)