4 things to double down on as an aspiring woman leader November 20, 2022 by Belinda EganMy goal is to get many, many more women into leadership positions in 2023. Here’s how I’m going to do that: Narrow my focus as an executive leadership coach to specifically find and lift up aspiring women leaders Continue to go to women-focused networking conferences and connect with inspiring women doing inspiring things in the workforce Open up the Leadership Cohort 4 times in 2023 to groups of 12 women who feel called to be leaders of change Partner with other strong women in the field to create new opportunities for learning and growing together Be a strong and LOUD voice for women who are considering leadership, struggle in their leadership roles, or have walked away from leadership out of discouragement Women in leadership roles are vital to a healthy organization, as we’re often great communicators, collaborators, problem-solvers, and planners – excellent traits of a courageous and effective leader. Today I’m sharing four of the qualities and actions that are important for you to develop as you become a strong leader. These are things that I encourage and highlight in all of the women I mentor in my practice: intentionality, authenticity, generosity, and collaboration. I’m also sharing ways that you can practice each of these in your career trajectory. Intentionality A woman who shines with intentionality has thought long and hard about where she’s headed and sets goals in place to reach for. Because of this, she puts her energy into people and choices that will help her achieve these goals…and she doesn’t waste a lot of time on people or choices that won’t. Here’s how you can practice intentionality: Set goals, make plans, and then speak them into the world. Share your goals and longings for your life with people who care about you (like I’ve done above!) Watch those people show up for you. People want to help each other succeed. It’s what makes this journey worthwhile for everyone! It’s important to remember, however, that not everyone wants you to succeed. Some people are just curious, and others want you to fail because of their own baggage. That’s why it’s important to only share your goals with people who you respect – people who have proven that they’re emotionally invested in your happiness and fulfillment. Authenticity Authenticity has become a buzzword in a ton of self-help and development circles. “Do you”, “be yourself”, and “stay true to who you are”….we hear these things all the time. But what does authenticity look like in terms of aspiring for leadership? A leader who is authentic doesn’t wear a mask of any kind – whether that’s pretending to be super chipper when things are rough, or acting superior to teammates or employees. She shows up exactly as she is because there’s nothing to hide. She is honest with everyone – especially herself. If there’s a problem, she faces it head-on with whoever is involved. She speaks her mind when needed, and holds her tongue when it’s better to. This authenticity comes from a place of vulnerability and trust. She knows that being vulnerable with her colleagues, peers, and bosses is how you cultivate real connections and change in an organization. She trusts herself to navigate her work life in a meaningful, authentic way, and she trusts others to do the same. If they don’t, though, she trusts that she’ll know how to adjust accordingly and keep moving forward. Generosity As women, we are nurturers. We want to take care of the people around us – sometimes to our own detriment. We give so much of ourselves that we often feel ‘overdrawn’ and neglect our self-care. There’s a reason I’ve saved generosity for 3rd on this list – because if you’re practicing both intentionality and authenticity, you are probably naturally quite generous without feeling overdrawn. That’s because you’ve set up strong boundaries around your time and energy in order to give your time and effort to people when you have extras of both available. A generous leader has resources, time, patience, and kindness available to others as needed – but within the bounds of what she can realistically afford to give. The best way to practice generosity, then, is to practice being intentional and authentic first. As you do both of these things, you’ll find yourself protecting your peace, setting strong boundaries with people, and cultivating a spirit of generosity as your internal garden of peace blooms. Collaboration Collaboration: the act of being curious and open-minded with someone else, with the goal of creating a new idea together. A collaborative leader doesn’t have all the answers – and she prefers it that way! It’s too much pressure to be the expert all the time. It’s much more fun to engage in a playful round of exploring options with others. Real collaboration takes practice, though. It means humbling yourself and leaning on the experience and skill of others. You take yourself out of the driver’s seat and instead sit in the back with someone else, so you can both look at the scenery around you and figure out where you’re headed. A collaborative leader says things like, “I don’t know the answer to that. Why don’t we find out together?” or “What do you think about this?” or “Would you do this differently? What does your experience tell you?” Beginning in early 2023, I’m collaborating with a brilliant speaking coach to bring you Lean Into Leadership: a Master’s level leadership program. There will be 12 spots available only. More details will follow soon. Contact me here to find out if this opportunity is right for you.