S7 Ep2: Building Your Leadership Pathway

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success!

In this episode (which is about 14 minutes in length), we explore how to take charge of your leadership journey by developing the skills, mindset, and strategies needed for long-term success. Leadership isn’t just about a title—it’s about the impact you create.

🗂 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
•Defining Your Leadership Vision – Gaining clarity on the kind of leader you want to be.
•Understanding Your Leadership Style with DISC – Using self-awareness to strengthen your leadership effectiveness.
•Identifying Leadership Growth Areas – Pinpointing key skills to develop for career advancement.
•Navigating Leadership Transitions – Strategies to step into new leadership roles with confidence.
•Building Influence and Credibility – Establishing trust and impact beyond just having authority.

What next?
A big thank you for tuning in to Your Path To Career Success – where your dreams and your career intertwine!
🦉 Book a free discovery call to learn how my Unlock Your Career Potential coaching programme can fast-track your leadership growth.
🦉 Explore the DISC assessment to understand your leadership style.
🦉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.
🦉If you are interested in working with me on a 1-2-1 basis then please book a slot in my calendar via https://calendly.com/thecareerowl.
🦉Alternatively come and hang out with me on LinkedIn.

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

Useful Resources
Books 📚
1."Leaders Eat Last" – Simon Sinek: Great for understanding trust, leadership culture, and inspiring teams.
2."Dare to Lead" – Brené Brown: Essential for developing courage, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence as a leader.
3."The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" – Stephen R. Covey: A must-read for developing self-leadership, influence, and personal growth.
4."Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" – Daniel H. Pink: Insightful for understanding motivation and how to lead effectively in a modern workplace.

Online Courses & Leadership Development 🎓
1.Harvard ManageMentor – Leadership and management courses from Harvard Business Review.
2.LinkedIn Learning Leadership Courses – Various courses on executive presence, communication, and leadership strategies.
3.Coursera – "Leading People and Teams" (University of Michigan) – Covers leadership fundamentals with real-world applications.

Transcript

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success, the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence, and strategy to thrive in your leadership career. 

I’m Kathryn, your host, and today we’re diving into a crucial topic for anyone aspiring to leadership or looking to grow in their role: Building Your Leadership Pathway.

Leadership isn’t just about getting a title or a promotion—it’s about intentionally shaping the leader you want to become and developing the skills that will help you create a lasting impact.

As a career transformation coach, I work with professionals who are stepping into leadership or looking to elevate their influence. If that’s you, this episode will give you practical steps to take ownership of your leadership journey, rather than waiting for opportunities to come to you.

In todays’ episode, we’ll cover:
✔️ Defining your leadership vision so you can lead with purpose
✔️ Identifying the skills that will accelerate your leadership growth
✔️ Navigating leadership transitions with confidence
✔️ Building influence and credibility in your organisation

Plus, I’ll introduce a fantastic tool to help you understand your leadership style—the DISC personality model—and share how you can work with me through my ‘Unlock Your Career Potential’ coaching programme to fast-track your leadership journey.

That’s what we’re unpacking today—with actionable steps to help you bridge the gap and lead with confidence. 

But before we jump in, I invite you to grab your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, grab a notebook or just sit back and relax and keep listening for those lightbulb moments to map out your leadership path!

1. Defining Your Leadership Vision
One of the most common challenges I see in my coaching clients is lack of clarity on their leadership identity. Many professionals step into leadership roles because they’re good at their jobs, but they haven’t stopped to ask themselves:
➡️ What kind of leader do I want to be?
➡️ What values do I want to be known for?
➡️ How do I want my team to experience my leadership?

Without this clarity, leadership can feel reactive—just managing what’s in front of you instead of shaping a long-term vision.

Client Success Story: Leadership Identity Shift
Take the example of one of my clients, A.  She was a highly skilled manager but struggled with building deeper trust and motivation in her team. Through our coaching sessions, we worked on defining her leadership vision—moving beyond just hitting targets to becoming a leader who empowers and inspires.

I ask her the same questions I’m asking you now:
• What values do you want to be known for?
• How do you want your team to describe your leadership?
• What kind of impact do you want to have on your team and the wider organisation?

She discovered that she wanted to be a transformational leader, someone who empowered her team to grow, take risks, and innovate. A wanted to lead with integrity, fostering a culture of trust and open communication. But, most importantly, she wanted to be known as someone who championed personal growth, not just performance metrics.

The result? 

A started leading with greater confidence, fostering a more engaged team, and positioning herself for long-term leadership success rather than just short-term wins.

So, take a moment today and ask yourself:
• What kind of leader do I want to be in one, five, or ten years?
• What values do I want to be known for?
• How do I want to impact my team and the organisation at large?

By answering these questions, you’ll start shaping your leadership identity and will be able to move forward with a clear sense of purpose.

📌 Your Action Step: Take 5 minutes to write down a leadership mission statement that reflects the type of leader you want to be. 

This could be a sentence or two that outlines your core leadership values and the type of leader you aim to be. 

For example:
"I want to be a leader who empowers my team, leads with integrity, and drives innovation in my industry."

Having a leadership mission statement is like having a compass—it will guide you through challenges, help you stay aligned with your values, and keep you focused on your goals.

If you need guidance, my coaching programme helps you craft this with clarity.

2. Understanding Your Leadership Style with DISC
Great leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. To lead effectively, you need self-awareness—understanding how your natural strengths and communication style impact those around you.

This is where the DISC personality model comes in. It helps you identify your leadership tendencies and how to adapt to different team dynamics.

Client Success Story: Leadership Adaptability
J, a results-driven project manager, was struggling with team morale. His direct approach got results, but team members felt intimidated and disengaged. Through a DISC assessment, we uncovered that his leadership style was highly D (Dominance)-oriented—strong on efficiency but lacking in emotional connection.

With this awareness, J adjusted his communication style to incorporate more listening and collaboration. Within a few months, team engagement improved, and his leadership effectiveness skyrocketed.

If you haven’t explored your DISC profile yet, I offer a standalone DISC assessment and debrief—or you can dive deeper into leadership growth through my ‘Unlock Your Career Potential’ coaching programme, where we use DISC to create a personalised career roadmap.

📢 [Call-to-action] If you want to take the DISC assessment and get a 1:1 debrief on your leadership style, check the show notes for details on next steps!

3. Identifying Leadership Growth Areas
Once you have a leadership vision and understand your style, the next step is closing your skill gaps.

Many professionals assume leadership is just about experience, but real growth happens when you actively develop key skills like:
✅ Strategic thinking
✅ Influence and stakeholder management
✅ Emotional intelligence
✅ Public speaking and executive presence

How Do You Identify Growth Areas?
One of the most effective ways to uncover your leadership development needs is through feedback and self-reflection:
🔹 Ask colleagues or mentors: What’s one thing I do well as a leader? And what’s one thing I could improve? Often, those around us can see our strengths and blind spots more clearly than we can ourselves.
🔹 Look at job descriptions for leadership roles you aspire to. What skills or experiences are consistently listed? Do they mention strategic thinking, influencing senior stakeholders, or leading organisational change? If so, these may be areas to strengthen.
🔹 Reflect on past challenges. Think back to moments where you’ve struggled—was it decision-making under pressure, delegation, or conflict resolution? These struggles are clues to your growth areas.

Client Success Story: Strategic Leadership Growth
S, a senior marketing manager, was ready for a director-level role but was told she lacked strategic decision-making experience. Instead of seeing this as a roadblock, she used it as a growth opportunity.

Together, we mapped out a 90-day leadership plan, where she:
✔ Worked on high-level strategy projects
✔ Sought mentorship from executives
✔ Enrolled in a leadership development programme

Three months later, she reapplied for the role—and got the promotion.

📌 Your Action Step: Identify one leadership skill you want to develop over the next 90 days and create a plan to improve it. If you need structured support, my coaching programme provides a tailored leadership development roadmap. Book a discovery call via the link in the show notes to explore how coaching can support your career growth.




4. Navigating Leadership Transitions
Stepping into a leadership role can feel overwhelming. The key is to lead with intention, not just react to challenges.

Too often, new leaders feel pressure to prove themselves quickly by making immediate changes. But the best leaders take a thoughtful, strategic approach to stepping into their roles.

How to Handle Leadership Transitions Smoothly
✅ Start by listening. One of the biggest mistakes new leaders make is jumping in too quickly with big changes before understanding the team dynamics. Instead, observe, ask questions, and listen to your team. What are their challenges? What’s working well? Where do they need support?
✅ Find mentors or peer support. Even CEOs have mentors—so whether it’s an experienced leader in your organisation, a leadership coach, or a peer in a similar role, having someone to bounce ideas off and gain perspective from can make all the difference.
✅ Communicate your leadership approach. People respect leaders who are clear about their expectations, values, and vision. When stepping into a new role, don’t assume people know how you operate. Take time to share your leadership style and what’s important to you.

The Power of a Listening Tour
M, a newly promoted Head of Operations, wanted to make an impact immediately. But his early process changes faced resistance.

Instead, we pivoted his strategy. He:
✔ Held 1:1 meetings with team members to understand their challenges
✔ Engaged senior stakeholders to align on company goals
✔ Observed team dynamics before making changes

By taking a listening-first approach, M gained trust and credibility—and when he later introduced changes, his team was fully on board.

[Tip] Plan Your Own ‘Listening Tour’
📌 Schedule time in your first 30-60 days to meet with:
✅ Your team – to understand their challenges, strengths, and expectations.
✅ Key stakeholders – to align with organisational goals.
✅ Your peers – to build internal relationships and gain insights from those in similar roles.

This approach sets you up for success by ensuring you lead with understanding, not assumptions.

5. Building Influence and Credibility
Leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about trust and impact. You can have the title, but if people don’t respect or believe in you, your influence will be limited.

One of my clients, E, faced this challenge after being promoted to a department head role in a fast-paced organisation. Despite her new title, she struggled to engage her team and gain buy-in from senior leaders. She felt overlooked in meetings and frustrated that her ideas weren’t landing.




Together, we worked on shifting her focus from authority to influence.
✅ Delivering Results First
Rather than pushing big changes immediately, I encouraged E to focus on small, quick wins that demonstrated her capability. By solving a few key problems early on, she built credibility and trust within her team and leadership.
✅ Adapting Her Communication Style
We analysed how senior leaders in her organisation communicated and adjusted her approach. Instead of lengthy explanations, she learned to present her ideas concisely, framing them in a way that aligned with leadership priorities. This shift made her contributions more impactful.
✅ Raising Her Visibility
E had been holding back in meetings, assuming her ideas would naturally gain attention. I coached her on speaking up with confidence and positioning herself as a strategic thinker. She also started sharing insights through internal presentations and LinkedIn, reinforcing her expertise beyond her immediate team.

The Turning Point
Six months later, when E pitched a major initiative, the response was completely different. Her team was engaged, her leaders took her seriously, and her proposal received full backing. The key wasn’t authority—it was the credibility and influence she had built over time.

[Tip] Give Before You Get
📌 Influence is built on trust and generosity. I encourage my clients to:
✅ Help others—offer advice, mentor junior colleagues, or support a team initiative.
✅ Share insights—whether in meetings or online, establish themselves as thought leaders.
✅ Be reliable—because influence isn’t about words, it’s about consistency and follow-through.

By focusing on results, communication, and visibility, E transformed from a leader with a title to a leader people trust and respect. If you want to build influence in your role, start by delivering value—and the credibility will follow.

6. How My Coaching Programme Can Support Your Leadership Journey
If you’re serious about accelerating your leadership growth, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

My ‘Unlock Your Career Potential’ coaching programme is designed to:
✨ Clarify your leadership vision and personal brand
✨ Identify and develop the skills needed for leadership success
✨ Provide accountability and expert guidance to fast-track your growth

Through personalised coaching and DISC insights, we’ll create a step-by-step leadership roadmap tailored to your goals.

📌 Call-to-Action: If you’re ready to take control of your leadership journey, book a free discovery call via the link in the show notes. Let’s map out your next steps together!

Final Thoughts
WRAP-UP
That’s it for today’s episode, Leadership isn’t just about getting a title—it’s about taking ownership of the leader you want to become. 

Let’s quickly recap everything we’ve covered today:
1️. Define Your Leadership Vision
Clarify what kind of leader you want to be. Write a leadership mission statement to guide your decisions and stay aligned with your values.
2️. Understand Your Leadership Style with DISC
Assess your natural leadership strengths using the DISC personality model. Adjust your style to better engage with your team.
3️. Identify and Close Leadership Growth Gaps
Identify key skills for your leadership role. Get feedback, reflect, and create a plan to develop those areas.
4️. Navigate Leadership Transitions Confidently
Listen first, build trust, and communicate your approach. Don’t rush into changes—understand your team’s needs first.
5️. Build Influence and Credibility
Make your leadership growth visible to others. Show up consistently, demonstrate your progress, and lead by example.

By taking these steps, you’ll be proactively shaping your leadership pathway, rather than waiting for opportunities to come to you. 

And if you’re ready to unlock your leadership potential, take one of these steps:-
✅ Book a DISC Assessment & Debrief to understand your leadership style.
✅ Join my ‘Unlock Your Career Potential’ Coaching Programme for a tailored roadmap to leadership success.
All the details and links are in the show notes!

If you found today’s episode valuable, hit that subscribe button, leave a review, and share it with your network. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn—just search Kathryn Hall, The Career Owl.

Until next time—keep growing, keep leading, and keep building your leadership pathway! 

Useful Resources
Books 📚
1. "Leaders Eat Last" – Simon Sinek: Great for understanding trust, leadership culture, and inspiring teams.
2. "Dare to Lead" – Brené Brown: Essential for developing courage, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence as a leader.
3. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" – Stephen R. Covey: A must-read for developing self-leadership, influence, and personal growth.
4. "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" – Daniel H. Pink: Insightful for understanding motivation and how to lead effectively in a modern workplace.

Online Courses & Leadership Development 🎓
1. Harvard ManageMentor – Leadership and management courses from Harvard Business Review.
2. LinkedIn Learning Leadership Courses – Various courses on executive presence, communication, and leadership strategies.
3. Coursera – "Leading People and Teams" (University of Michigan) – Covers leadership fundamentals with real-world applications.