How do YOU show up?

If I can share anything that I have learned after 28 years navigating the waters within Corporate America, it is that success in life is more about how you show up than what you know or even who you know. 

I am not dismissing that what you know and who you know is not important, but I am stressing the essential of how you show up each day is the most important. 

I believe all would agree that the foundation for success in life starts with you. Your drive, your attitude, your behavior, your mindset, your commitment, your passion, your enthusiasm, your courage, your confidence, your conscious awareness of yourself provides this foundation. 

Leadership requires a conversation with self to understand who you are serving (God or self) which will answer why you are serving (servant or self).

Introspective 

Matthew 6:33 says that “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added to you.” If the leader is receiving counsel from Him through constant pray, biblical obedience and surrender, it will shape how they show up. 

When we start with ourselves, then and only then, can we learn, attract, and be our absolute best for ourselves… and then for others. 

I am drawn to the following quote from Lead Like Jesus, “Whenever you have an opportunity or responsibility to influence the thinking and the behavior of others, the first choice you are called to make is whether to be motivated by self-interest or by the benefit of those you are leading” (Blanchard, Ken & Hodges, Phil, 2005). 

While some may look at the focus on MY attitude, MY behavior, MY mindset, MY commitment, MY passion, MY enthusiasm, MY courage, MY confidence, MY awareness as too focused on self, but introspective work is important as it makes the leader be accountable for how they show up. And the leader must be able to say that MY [fill in the blank] answers for myself and others the leader’s motivation. 

Heart, Head, Hands and Habits 

Using Lead Like Jesus to evaluate MY motivation and if it is alignment with servant leadership, one could evaluate how they exhibit the four leadership domains: heart, head, hands, and habits. 

Leadership at its foundation is always a matter of the heart. If MY motivation is heart, I will demonstrate behaviors of kindness, love, and empathy. For example, I once assisted one of my direct managers overcome a weakness, I imagine at first it felt like micromanagement, but as we progressed, I was able to get them out of the weeds of constant execution to see the big picture. This skill aided them in talking with senior leadership who first want to know the vision and the big picture strategy before diving into how we are executing. by helping them work through a fatal flaw, that if not addressed would have ended their career. 

Assessing decisions and challenging your own belief system, is how a leader will demonstrate leading with their head. Showing the team that you research decisions and are thoughtful in your approach will build confidence in the team. Not that the leader needs to give the team reason for everything, but with transparency the team learns to trust the leader as a person who admits when they are wrong, challenges themselves and their thinking, but also confirms theories about leadership. 

Hands are the external confirmation that the leader’ motivation and beliefs are in alignment with their actions. In my owner leadership journey, I have been known as being someone who walks the talk. This is apparent as I am someone who does what must be done, no matter what. Jumping on a plane at a moment’s notice to give an impromptu presentation when a senior leader needs it or showing up in person to deliver a hard message. 

Rick Warren in Lead like Jesus says, “Your character is essentially the sum of your habits.” Being a leader who is consistent builds trust. Agree that how a leader shows up each day gives insight to their character. Character truly is, as Rick Warren says, the sum of the leaders’ habits. Preaching, practicing, repeat builds the company culture and gives team members someone to look up and model. This allows for goodness to seep into all levels of the company. 

Know Who, Why and How 

Knowing who I serve and why I service, impacts how I show up. How I show up and behave allows me to be my best self. My true authentic self. It is a powerful reminder that I while I am not in control (He is), He has given me the wisdom and the choice to show up as a servant leader. 

References 

Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. 2003. Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson. 

Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. 2005. The Servant Leader. Thomas Nelson.