“With the backdrop of establishing and
strengthening trust as the most
important success criteria for my
leadership effectiveness,
I contemplated in this session how my
role as a leader has evolved recently.”
When we behave in such a way that our image is aligned with our identity, we are perceived as authentic. That authenticity is a fundamental foundation on which trust is built. When we behave otherwise, we are perceived as disingenuous, and trust is eroded. We also explored amplifying trust by being vulnerable, which we defined as a willingness to risk our image in order to preserve our identify i.e. not to compromise what truly matters at your core. And finally, trust is even further garnered when we act with generosity, which is to put your own image at risk for the betterment of someone else's.
“When you have assignments like
these, you’re forced to continually be
mindful about leadership. This is forced reflection, and something that
I think is very important for personal growth; but we often skip this - either due to time or stress.”
How I connected image versus identity to myself as a leader both professionally and personally grew quite a bit between the two assignments because of the profound conversations we had as a group. At times the room was quite emotional, and I was
humbled by the groups' vulnerability in discussing things very deeply personal to them.
Going through my own challenges with confidence as a leader, I found this highly relatable and almost reset my perspective on my capabilities, strengths, and potential as a leader.
“Despite what I’ve accomplished in
my life, I often question my abilities, particularly at work. It was pointed out to me that what I could be lacking: not
achievement, but confidence.”
I explored the theme of a work in progress, of pushing myself harder and focusing on what I have not yet achieved. In order to find fulfillment in life and in work, we must ask ourselves what drives us and brings us joy. As a leader I strive to truly understand my team and what motivates them to get out of bed every day and come to work, beyond a simple paycheck. As a personal level, these photos signify my journey to find stability in uncertainty, to face challenges with confidence, and to bring my whole/undivided self to what may come. To react heroically instead of defensively. They have also helped me better understand the power of words.