Leadership capacities that must be explored in order for us to be the best version of ourselves:
Caregivers
Fighters
Visionaries
Analysts
As leaders we are complex beings the that have to deal with complex situations that are made even more cluttered when we wrestle with these capacities within us. To be the best version of ourselves we have to embrace the personas that make us who we are… even the personas that we are uncomfortable with expressing. In her talks, Erica Ariel Fox Harvard Law Lecturer describes the “Big Four” as conduits by which we address the gap between what we know we should do or say and what we actually do or say.
Here’s a great summary of her book “Winning from Within”:
Although I believe this is a solid approach to improve how we project our leadership and the best version of ourselves onto others or how we navigate the complex situations that we face daily, I would offer that if we apply this approach to our interfaces with prospects, customers, suppliers and competitors we will see opportunities revealed. Understanding and then connecting with the dominant persona within the people within our business ecosystem will create deeper more fulfilling relationships upon which a sustainable business can be constructed. This ability to manage internal leadership capacities and apply that internal knowledge to external relationships is the foundation of developing your personal brand. Just like a multinational corporation, we have a brand that others identify with and will evoke emotions we your name is mentioned. What is your personal brand? Is it your dominant persona? Is it a combination of those leadership personas? Hodgkinson, (2006) offered a really easy tool to understand and develop your personal brand. It’s based on the 5 P’s: Persona, Product, Packaging, Promotion, and Permission. Looking that your brand through filter of your leadership capacities and the lens of this framework will drive you closer to being the leader you and I know you can be. Pursue the balanced input of personas necessary for your brand to create an emotional connection with the people that are integral to our personal and professional success.
References
Hodgkinson, S. (2006). Leader's edge. Leadership Excellence Essentials, 23(9), 1. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=22338514&site=bsi-live&scope=site