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Inner Work for Authentic Leadership


This is an excellent time for this blog to happen, as I’ve recently completed my end of the year performance review at work. In my organization, you’re required to do a mid-year review and end of year review so that employees and their leaders have a formalized time to meet to discuss goals.
During my recent review, I had the opportunity to discuss where I see myself in a few years. After already serving as a director, logically, my next step is vice-president and with that comes additional leadership requirements. But, during my review, it became apparent that this was going to be an instructional conversation. My boss really tried to get me to focus on what I wanted to do and understand what I was passionate about. “The goal of adaptive leadership is to encourage people to change and learn new ways of living so that they may do well and grow” (Northouse, pg. 258). We went around and around for about 10 minutes as it kept trying to draw closer to the root answer. I found his task to be enlightening mainly because I didn’t know I wasn’t getting to the real answer. I normally find myself quickly asking myself or others the kind of questions that get to the root cause of an issue. But in this case, I didn’t see it coming.
After my review, I look about a week to think through and decide what all of this meant. I wrote down several times the results of my review so that I could see it on paper. I wanted to do this in the event seeing the results triggered something in my head. As I jotted down the three issues that came out of the review; be an admired leader, improve interpersonal communication skills and request consistent feedback. It was these three things that I took a week to decide what my next steps were going to be. “Adaptive leadership focuses on the adaptations required to people in response to changing environments” (Northouse, pg. 257).
This reflection led me to realize I need more training, coaching and focus. I started searching, first internally at work for classes that our HR department offered. After not finding any that suited my needs, I turned to the internet and found the Dale Carnegie classes. Authentic leadership goes beyond existing charismatic and transformational leadership theories by focusing on a leadership approach that fosters high levels of trust which in turn encourages people to be more positive” (Helland and Winston, pg. 49). With approval from my boss, I signed up for a 3-day class that focuses on leadership, interpersonal communication and feedback. I think I’ve found the class that will help prop me up in these areas!
Although I haven’t taken the class at the time of this blog, I do have some additional things to say about feedback. I’ve already started asking a very short list of people for feedback regarding my interaction with employees. These trusted confidants are willing to provide me feedback because I’ve explained the importance of receiving feedback as part of my performance review. The feedback I’ve been receiving has been quite helpful. For instance, there was a situation in which I was required to ask an entire room of people to stay where they were (with the door closed) so that some workers could carry large objects passed their door without someone stepping out and getting hurt. It was a quick explanation, but one in which I got some interesting looks from people in the room. One of my trusted employees was in the room, so I asked how the exchange came across to everyone. The feedback I got was positive, which helped set my mind at ease. I can use this feedback and the classes I’m taking in 3 weeks to match my actions with what should be happening to improve my interpersonal communication skills which just might help lead me to become – an admired leader.
Marques Thomey
November 30, 2019
References:
Helland, M.R., & Winston, B. E. (2005). Towards a Deeper Understanding of Hope and Leadership. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. 12(2),42-54. DOI: 10.1177/107179190501200204
George, B. (2012, November 1). Inter Work for Authentic Leadership [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmPu2LQ84ts&feature=youtu.be
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th Ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publishing.

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