Written by: Denise Ledi, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
How many times in the last year have you met or heard of leaders searching for ways to support their staff? People who are experiencing and physical, emotional, and or mental stress for a myriad of reasons. We all recognize that some of this may be to stop a staffing exodus; after all the great resignation and quiet quitting is real. However, more often than not this inquiry is born out of genuine recognition of the problem and concern for the well-being of those they lead.
Leaders are stepping up and want to help. Great! But now what? Too often well-meaning gestures of support fail to hit the mark. Why? In many instances, it’s because these leaders fail to start with themselves, and lead from the inside out. We lead according to who we are, and in turn, how we’re doing, for better or worse.
These are 5 key tips born out my own leading from the inside out journey that I trust will help you lead in this manner too:
1. Self-Awareness:
Recognize what is happening internally. How are you feeling? Are you aware of your emotions? Your strengths, weaknesses, goals and how these things are impacting you and others?
2. Vulnerable Role Modeling:
Show up honestly. Express how you’re really doing in a healthy way as championed by Brene Brown Daring Greatly. Being vulnerable can be catalyst for building trust between leaders and their staff. Why? Connection. People want and need to feel heard, seen, and understood. Who better to understand you than someone else going through the same thing?
3. Alignment between Personal and Professional Values and Communication, Communication, Communication:
Your personal values affect your professional judgement and how you function in the workplace. It’s one thing to know these values and interplay however this also must be effectively communicated.
4. Promote a Culture of Wellness:
Staff need safe spaces where they can be discuss their feelings and challenges, promote self-care and professional growth. This builds authentic relationships, connections and community by co-creating meaning out of collective experiences. Leaders can help create this space by setting an example through their actions. This includes listening to staff feedback and being responsive.
5. Personal Resilience:
While leaders and the organization are responsible for the majority of factors related to well-being, the individual still plays a critical role.
There are steps one can take to support overall well-being. Your call to action is to consider how you want to show up for life in the last half of 2023. You can start by engaging in a series of self-reflective questions.
Imagine your “future self” as you reflect at the end of the year. What do you want to be true of your life over the next 6 months? Write down your thoughts, goals, dreams, and wishes in a notebook, type them in a Word Doc, save them as a note on your smartphone, whatever works for you.
Next, think about defining your own mission, vision, and values. Do you have a mission and vision statement for your personal and professional life? If not, consider drafting those two statements. Do you know your personal core values? Professional values? What if you can only select your top three values? Are you living and leading in alignment with those values? What are your strengths and where are your opportunities for growth? In what areas do you need extra support?
Asking these questions and reflecting on the answers will be the starting point for paving your own path to leading from the inside out. Finally, make a weekly appointment with yourself to check-in on your progress, self-reflect, and evaluate your goals.
To your success!
Denise Ledi, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denise Ledi is an Empowerment & Executive Leadership Coach based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada serving clients across North America. She has spent more than 20 years as a leader in addiction & mental health, forensics, and correctional healthcare and knows firsthand how complex and challenging it can be to lead in ever-changing environments. Denise integrates real-world leadership experience, experiences as a coaching client with expertise as a certified executive trained coach and Master’s trained Criminologist to provide a unique, innovative, integrative perspective to her clients to help them gain clarity and achieve the measurable results they're looking for. Denise has been a mentor to 100+ professionals and family, including her younger brother & sister after their mother died and as their father built his Engineering firm into a successful business as a new immigrate to Canada. Podcast host, speaker, and writer Denise believes that our highest potential is reached by helping others reach theirs. Her primary mission is to empower others to become their best selves, access their whole potential, and make an extraordinary impact on the world!
