Becoming Who You Really Are

The following summary is based on the Becoming Who You Really Are executive education course at Michigan Ross.

What is the one thing that is keeping you from becoming a great leader, and what are you doing about it? Leadership is developed through discovery and deliberate practice. Even Gandhi moved from being awkward and ineffective to an expert leader who could change paradigms and behaviours. In order to do something, we have to be able to imagine it. Because Gandhi had spent time with the lower classes, he was able to articulate what was real and important to Indians: salt and bread, basic needs. What is the bread and salt of your school?

Becoming clear about our personal and collective purpose, is how we become leaders. If we know our values, document those values, and allow others to hold us accountable to them, this creates a power that attracts talented and inspired individuals. “I would like you to hold me accountable for these.” What are your deepest beliefs? Do people around you know who you really are and what matters most to you? Exposing who you really are moves people.

Clarifying your unique purpose and writing, refining, updating, and constantly reviewing that purpose can be transformational. Understanding your life’s mission can increase your positive thoughts, help you perform better, and improve your ability to impact the performance of others. Why don’t you give each of your direct reports a copy of your deeply held values and personal highest purpose, and then instruct them that if they ever witness you acting in a way that doesn’t reflect those values, they are to call you on it?

As we become purpose-driven, we begin to use personal stories to convey the higher purpose of the school. These personal stories deliver a level of authenticity that can motivate other members of the team. When we show ourselves to be vulnerable, and speak with authenticity, we build trust and commitment in our teams. Telling authentic stories from our own life can be a source of power.

When purpose is clarified, some people will realise that they don’t belong at your school. This is a good thing. As you replace these individuals, you will be able to attract talented people whose purpose is aligned with the organisation. As a leader, your goal should be to connect your team to the higher purpose that drives the school as a whole. Could you take your strategy and translate it into a few pictures? This helps to convey the school vision in a way that allows everyone in the school to contribute to success. A school doesn’t truly have a purpose until it is clear to everyone.

We can empower people by encouraging them to think about the question, “what result do you want to create?” rather than handing them a solution to a problem. There is tremendous pressure on leaders to be the expert, to have the answers and solve all the problems. Stepping out of the expert role is necessary if team members are to be empowered to think and act for themselves. Leaders should try to act as though they are the dumbest person in the room. You should go into every meeting genuinely trying to learn from the people there. Let others be the experts. Be vulnerable and authentic. Make it possible for other people to grow.

Leaders challenge the status quo. School culture stifles risk-taking. If every year you don’t risk your job, you aren’t doing your job. Schools must choose between deep change or slow death. Leaders must work against the natural school biases toward stability, structure and bureaucracy. School resistance to change is deeply held. As pressure to change builds within a school, the initial reaction is denial. Leaders must expect and confront denial.

Instead of seeing resisters, see people of potential. “Failures” of people are really failures of leadership. When people don’t follow, it’s the leader who is the problem. The best way to create an environment of trust is to listen and be empathetic to those around you. When these things are done effectively, leaders are often amazed by the energy and performance of their teams. In order to convince people that they can do what they know they cannot do, a leader must have their complete trust. A leader helps people do what they think is impossible. We can influence people by asking challenging questions and then truly listening to their answers. Challenging questions can help people to think and to become self-empowered.

Are you willing to invite feedback from others? Have you been explicit about your desire to receive feedback? Have you created an environment that makes it easy for others to approach you and offer this feedback? Feedback is essential to learning. Unfortunately, most people don’t feel comfortable giving or getting feedback. In order to grow, we have to open ourselves to feedback from others.

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