Written by: Giovanna Carucci, 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.
For decades leadership seemed to be an exclusive prerogative of managers who had to coordinate teams and design strategies to achieve the best result possible. For years and in many facets, the perspective of managers has outcasted that of entrepreneurs in business and leadership theories; especially in Europe, entrepreneurs feel the need to lead but barely invest in their growth as leaders. They invest in the company, a lot on their teams but rarely on themselves. Interesting. No need for the “captain” to grow and exploit their true potential. Interesting.
As an authentic leader, we have surveyed thousands of Italian entrepreneurs to dig deeper into the reasons for this apparent bias. What we have discovered is that entrepreneurs, in most cases, do not invest in their leadership for the existence of a series of limiting beliefs that we have decided to call “myths on leadership”:
Leadership is an innate attitude. If you are lucky enough to be born with it fine, otherwise there’s no point to invest in it
A true leader must have all the answers and be the main “expert” in the company. If not, there will always be someone better than you to guide the team then, it’s not worth investing in yourself
Leadership is based on success and results hence if you are not already a super successful entrepreneur but you are still striving for making your company grow, leadership is not for you. Same if you have failed or if your company is still a start-up. Leadership is for the one who had already made it!
Strickly linked to the point before is the ideal of the leader as a superhero: a charismatic, beautiful, funny, smart being that commands and decides the fate of the company; a single man at the top who guides and saves the company so all the vulnerable, shy and introverts, please stay away from leadership (less than you don’t want to change yourself).
Especially this stereotype, highly used also in filmography and old-fashioned leadership courses has created a barrier for many entrepreneurs (and not only) to invest in their leadership. Furthermore, it has generated and corroborated one of the most painful emotions for entrepreneurs: loneliness.
This new world in which companies operate and strive to survive and succeed desperately need new styles and benchmark for leadership; in such a volatile world, the idea of the only man in command urges to be updated and, to some extent, buried in old books. The same is for all those ideas of the leader who inspires, and motivates always, the “gentle” leader and in general, all the stereotypes should leave the pace to authenticity and contribution.
Be the best of who you are, do the best with what you have. Try your best to bring a contribution to the world with your business.
This is the true essence of leadership; as Gilles Pajou, once said “leadership is creating a world to which others want to belong to”. And as a leader you have to envision this world, you have to feel the connection and the passion, you have to be able to bring people on board, and you have to infuse energy.
You are not your company but you are, at the same time, a generator and the guardian of that vision, of that world able to attract people and resources. This is the true essence of any leader and this needs clarity, care, and attention.
So why, as an entrepreneur, you should not invest in your leadership? No, no idea at all. For me, as an entrepreneur, my personal growth and development are a sign of love and responsibility for myself, my company, and the team.
Giovanna Carucci, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Generative Coach certified by IAGC (International Association of Generative Change) founded by Robert Dilts and Stephen Gilligan; Team Leader and Trainer for the IAGC
Creative Mind Coach certified by Stephen Gilligan's Creative Mind
Graduated in Business Administration at Bocconi University. After many years as a senior manager in luxury and fashion companies, she decides to dedicate her life to bring passion and humanity in the business world. Passionate of human beings, leadership and branding support individuals and organizations in exploiting their authentic potential.
Ceo&Founder of authentic leader.
