Written by: Charlotte Pineda, 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.
Clients often come to me because they feel stuck and that coveted senior leadership role seems out of reach. My first question to them is, “Are you possibly sitting too comfortably in your current role?” If you want to advance your career, you must behave as if you already have the position. Being an effective leader requires getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
“Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency heads the list.” – John C. Maxwell
Effective leaders lead by example and see themselves as a work in progress.
They never stop learning. Many leaders make the mistake of viewing their roles as destinations. The common thinking goes something like this: “I made it to a senior leadership role, so people will fall in line and follow me, and my career will naturally progress.” This is a huge mistake.
Effective leaders lead themselves first.
How can you expect to lead and grow others if you’ve allowed yourself to become stagnant? The status quo makes effective leaders uncomfortable. Growth happens outside your comfort zone—not when you’re on autopilot.
Effective leaders are self-aware and possess confident humility.
They’re not threatened by other’s strengths. Continually focused on sharpening their strengths, they aren’t consumed by their weaknesses. They know their limitations and surround themselves with people who are strong where they’re not and help them flex and grow their own strengths.
Effective leaders accept that they have blind spots and solicit 360-degree feedback.
The information gleaned from the feedback is reflected upon and used to get better. The higher you go on the organizational ladder, the more you need 360-degree feedback.
Think about it; junior and mid-level employees are assessed in one way or another by their managers. Who’s assessing you? Your status as a senior leader should not exempt you from being assessed. Yes—it’s uncomfortable to seek consistent, honest feedback, but it’s a necessary part of being an effective leader. In fact, research proves that top-ranked leaders regularly seek feedback from employees.
Effective leaders have a beginner’s mind.
They open themselves to learning from people at all levels of the organization and are proponents of reverse mentoring. They look upon differences with curiosity and ask questions to gain new insights.
Effective leaders practice steadfast flexibility.
They’re firm in their values and ethics but admit when they’re wrong and seek opposing views. As Adam Grant said in Think Again, “We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions. Strong leaders engage their critics and make themselves stronger. Weak leaders silence their critics and make themselves weaker.”
To sum it up, effective leaders are nuanced and agile and adapt to the situation. Yesterday’s challenges may have called for them to stand firm, but today’s challenge may require flexibility and humility. Effective leaders are always pushing beyond their comfort zone and creating safe environments where employees are encouraged to do the same. They embrace the uncomfortable and help their teams strike the right balance of creative tension to achieve the mission.
Charlotte Pineda, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Charlotte Pineda, CPC, CEC helps busy professionals and executives create life-career synergy. Her mission is to help others craft meaningful lives and careers that allow them to live their values. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, Charlotte can help you gain perspective and set realistic boundaries so you can get ahead and stay ahead in your life and career.
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