S2 Ep 7: Navigating New Horizons Discovering Your Leadership Style in a New Role

Welcome to 'Your Path To Career Success' with Kathryn Hall, also known as 'The Career Owl.'

In this seventh episode of season 2, I'll delve into how discovering your leadership style can be achieved through a thorough self-assessment and continuous growth.

Join me for actionable steps and valuable insights on the transformative journey that lies ahead!

Key Takeaways from this episode

🟣Assessing Your Strengths and Values
🟣Learning from Experience
🟣Flexibility and Adaptability
🟣Seeking Feedback
🟣Crafting Your Leadership Narrative
🟣Ongoing Process

These takeaways provide a comprehensive guide for individuals, whether seasoned professionals or first-time managers, to navigate their leadership journey with authenticity, adaptability, and effective communication.

Tune in for a sneak peek into the transformative journey that awaits you!

What next?
A big thank you for tuning in to Your Path To Career Success – where your dreams and your career intertwine!

🦉If this episode lit a fire within you, hit that subscribe button, share the love with a review, and spread the wisdom with your friends and coworkers. Alternatively follow me on LinkedIn Kathryn Hall “The Career Owl”.

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🦉Alternatively come and hang out with me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynthecareerowl/

Stay tuned for more golden nuggets to help you navigate the winding roads of your professional journey. 

Transcript

Hey there, a big welcome to 'Your Path To Career Success,' the podcast that's your compass in navigating the winding roads of your professional journey. 

I'm Kathryn Hall, your guide, or as I like to call myself, 'The Career Owl.' 

Starting a new chapter can be thrilling and a bit nerve-wracking. One of the critical aspects of this journey is figuring out your leadership style. Whether you're a seasoned professional taking on a new challenge or a first-time manager, understanding and cultivating your leadership approach is key. Today, I'll share some insights and tips to guide you on this exciting exploration.

Assessing Your Strengths and Values

Let's dive into the first step of discovering your leadership style – assessing your strengths and values. 

Take a moment to create a list of your strengths, both professional and personal. 

What skills do you excel at? 

What qualities make you stand out? 

This exercise lays the groundwork for understanding what you bring to the table as a leader.

Tip 1: Create a Strengths Inventory Consider using tools like the StrengthsFinder or other self-assessment resources to gain a comprehensive view of your strengths. This can be an eye-opener, revealing aspects of your capabilities you might not have fully acknowledged.

Tip 2: Identify Core Values Reflect on your core values. What principles guide your decision-making? Aligning your leadership style with these values ensures authenticity. Your team will recognize and appreciate a leader who operates from a foundation of genuine principles.

Tip 3: Connect Strengths to Values Explore how your strengths align with your values. How can you leverage your unique abilities to uphold your core principles? This connection forms the essence of your leadership style, creating a solid framework for your journey.

Learning from Experience

Now, let's discuss the classroom of life – your experiences. Your past is a treasure trove of lessons that can shape your leadership style.

Tip 1: Reflect on Past Leadership Roles Consider your previous roles and leadership experiences. What aspects of those experiences brought out the best in you? Identify the moments where you felt most effective as a leader.

Tip 2: Analyse Setbacks Don't shy away from setbacks. Analyse them. What went wrong? How did you respond? Sometimes, the most valuable insights come from moments of challenge and adversity.

Tip 3: Observe Leaders You Admire Take note of leaders you admire. What traits and styles resonate with you? Observing others can provide inspiration and contribute to the formation of your unique leadership identity.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Moving on to flexibility and adaptability – essential qualities for leaders navigating new challenges.

Tip 1: Assess Team Dynamics Regularly assess the dynamics of your team. Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and work preferences. Being attuned to your team's needs allows you to adapt your leadership style to better support them.

Tip 2: Embrace Change Be open to change. The ability to pivot when necessary is a valuable leadership skill. Embrace the unknown, and encourage your team to see change as an opportunity for growth.

Tip 3: Evaluate and Adjust Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your leadership approach. If something isn't working, be willing to adjust. Flexibility doesn't mean abandoning your principles but rather adapting your methods to better suit the situation.

Seeking Feedback

Now, let's talk about the importance of seeking feedback – a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.

Tip 1: Create a Feedback-Friendly Environment Foster a culture where feedback is encouraged. Make it clear that you value input from your team and that it contributes to the overall improvement of the team's performance.

Tip 2: Ask Specific Questions When seeking feedback, ask specific questions about your leadership style. What do they find effective? What could be improved? Specific questions yield more actionable insights.

Tip 3: Implement and Communicate Changes When you receive feedback, take it to heart. Implement changes where necessary, and communicate these adjustments to your team. This not only demonstrates your commitment to improvement but also strengthens trust.

Crafting Your Leadership Narrative

Lastly, let's explore how you can effectively communicate your leadership style – it's like telling a compelling story.

Tip 1: Define Your Leadership Philosophy Clearly articulate your leadership philosophy. What principles guide your decisions? What values are non-negotiable? This clarity provides your team with a roadmap to understand your approach.

Tip 2: Share Personal Stories Stories resonate deeply. Share personal anecdotes that highlight key moments in your leadership journey. These stories create a connection with your team, humanizing your leadership style.

Tip 3: Encourage Two-Way Communication Foster an environment where communication is a two-way street. Encourage team members to share their perspectives and experiences. This creates a dialogue that enriches the overall narrative of your team's journey.

Remember, discovering your leadership style is an ongoing process. Be patient with yourself, stay curious, and embrace the growth. 

A big thank you for tuning in to Your Path To Career Success – where your dreams and your career intertwine!

If this episode lit a fire within you, hit that subscribe button, share the love with a review, and spread the wisdom with your friends and coworkers. Alternatively follow me on LinkedIn Kathryn Hall “The Career Owl”.

Stay tuned for more golden nuggets to help you navigate the winding roads of your professional journey.