(upbeat music)
- Many years ago, the title of leader
had a very narrow definition.
It was the person with the most authority.
That person also typically had the loudest voice.
They had the most prestigious education
and the longest tenure at the organization.
Their background, their presence,
even their physical appearance fit a very specific mold.
That changed, thankfully, and for the better.
Leadership isn't defined by how you look,
the position you have,
or how long you've been with your organization.
It's defined by how you behave.
The sum of a lot of small interactions
start to form your leadership brand,
the type of leader you are.
Now, let's clear up one thing.
There is no personality type
that's best suited to leadership.
Introverts tend to be great listeners,
a crucial component of leadership.
Extroverts are often skilled at inspiring others,
which is also an important component of leadership.
When you're defining your leadership brand,
you'll want to build on your natural strengths.
Here are a few common leadership strengths
that you can leverage no matter your role.
The first two are the most traditional.
First, organizational acumen.
This is when you have a lot of experience with your company.
Colleagues will value your insight
on how to get things accomplished,
who to go to what for, and the nuances of your org chart.
For some organizations,
this might be someone with 10 years of experience.
For others, nine months is considered a seasoned employee.
You can also have deep expertise in your specific role.
If you're in a common role,
like a business development representative
or project manager, you can offer your deep role expertise
to support others who are in the same role,
but less experienced than you.
Now, let's get into
those softer leading without formal authority strengths.
First, brainstorming.
Are you someone who's always willing
to think about something differently,
interested in new projects?
Your organization will look to you
to add valuable energy and innovation into your team.
Next, feedback.
Do people look to you for your opinion
and help to improve their work?
If you're great at giving feedback,
you have the opportunity to take your whole team higher.
Or perhaps you're great at emotional support.
Are you a naturally empathetic person
who can hype people up for something important
or calm them down when things get a little intense?
That's a great leadership skill to have,
because your organization will navigate ups and downs,
as all companies do,
and you can help emotionally regulate the people around you.
So think about what comes naturally to you,
and how you can leverage it to form the foundation
of your leadership brand, what you're known for.
(upbeat music)