My approach to leadership, to people, and to their development is informed by my experiences and experiments. I believe we all need to—for our own selves if not for anyone else—walk the talk. At the end of the day, we are accountable for ourselves only to ourselves. The key elements of my people development philosophy, which informs my work, are below.
Leadership is a way of being, not a mask to be worn and taken off. Leadership is not only about leading in the workplace; it’s about leading everywhere, all the time. It’s a way of being that emanates from who we are and what we stand for. And its impact is enabling those with us—family, colleagues, society—to go beyond their perceived limits and be who they can be.
Without purpose and authenticity, leadership is hollow. If we don’t know where we’re going, why we’re going there, or what is important to us—or if we don’t have the courage or knowledge to be the same person inside and out—our leadership is without substance. We may get away with some people some of the time with bluster and show, but at the end of the day, we are accountable for ourselves only to ourselves.
The need for purpose comes from a yearning for meaning and impact. These in turn come from a mindset of growth, curiosity and humility. It is only when we look for something more in ourselves, when we are willing to explore within to satisfy our restlessness, and we can look at ourselves candidly, that we can see our purpose.
Authenticity is what makes humans human. We can only be truly authentic when we are human, and we show up as who we are, focused more on our impact than our impression. This is when we are truly ourselves, and we are at our most powerful.
The key to effective leadership is truly knowing your role, being sensitive to its evolution, and changing yourself to be at your most effective always . Leadership is dynamic. Roles change as circumstances change, and as we and those around us grow. We need to be aware enough, humble enough, and curious enough to know and recognise this, and to change ourselves in the service of our leadership. This is the only way to maintain leadership over time.