Hi Welcome to episode 79. We’re talking about the one thing I hear so much from Direct Sales Leaders which is the desire to increase confidence in their leadership skills.
Most leaders get to a point of business growth and want to feel that their leadership skills can match the trajectory of growth. That their leadership skills can develop and grow to not only maintain success but build on that success.
I love this desire. It tells me these women recognize there’s more to learn. Their humility is a sign that ‘hey, I may have gotten us this far, but it doesn’t mean I don’t still have personal & leadership growth yet to be discovered’.
How great is that?!
If this feels like you, then you’re in the right spot.
Ok, so how do you go about increasing confidence in your leadership skills?
There is one key strategy I’ll give you today to simplify your complex role of being a leader.
I call it Surface Leadership.
I want you to envision the surface of a body of water. A Lake, an ocean, or a pool, choose your favorite.
Of course, you know the phrase “just keep swimming”. This is going way deeper than that. But I was just reminded of “just keep swimming” the other day while texting with a few mom friends we all serve on the same board together.
One responded with “Tammy, you’re the best for being so on task.” My reply was “Always trying! Thank you. Most days failing.”
Another replied “just keep swimming”
To which one chimed in “I like to think of it as flailing.”
You get the picture, right? I’m sure some of you can relate. I totally can.
The Surface Leadership strategy I want to share with you today is about knowing when you are above the surface and when you are below the surface.
Above the Surface Leadership will look a certain way for each leader. Generally speaking, it looks authentic, real, organized (however you define organized), forward-thinking, positive, inclusive, challenged yet accomplished, and at your best.
Again, what you’re specifically doing and how you’re being when you’re above the surface will look and feel unique to you.
Below the Surface Leadership looks, well, the opposite. Inauthentic, maybe this is or feels like wearing masks to make things look a certain way, disorganized, reactive, negative, seclusive, comfortable, uncertain, and getting by.
How Below the Surface Leadership shows up for you will look and feel unique to you. You’ll know it when it’s happening. You feel it. It can be obvious by situations you’re in or choices you make. Or it can be more sneaky and leave you feeling in a funk where something’s just off.
The most important component to know with this strategy is that practicing Surface Leadership is all about being able to recognize when you’re leading above the surface and when you’ve dipped below the surface.
The most important component is not to always lead above the surface. That’s not authentic. It’s not real. It’s not always possible frankly.
The best of the best and the most successful all have days, moments, or seasons where they find themselves below the surface. Normal. Completely normal.
The key and the power behind increasing confidence in your leadership skills and abilities is to be able to recognize when you are above the surface and when you are below the surface.
You want to be the first to do this, ideally. But that’s not always possible. Self-awareness and leadership awareness are developed. And it starts with simply noticing.
So that’s your takeaway from today’s episode. Start by simply noticing when you are above the surface and when you’re below the surface. If you’re serious about increasing confidence in your leadership skills then I recommend keeping a journal about this.
However you work best, Evernote, your phone, pen to paper, voice record. Pick one method, and stick with it. But keep a journal. It is so powerful. It helps you become very familiar with your awareness. You can also see patterns emerge.
Step one is to simply start noticing when you’re above the surface and when you’re below the surface.
There’s so much more to this key strategy I’ll give you more to work on in future episodes. First things first, is to adopt the Surface Leadership strategy and start noticing.
The best is yet to come, always.
