What Does It Take To Be A Leader During Challenging Times?
- Oct 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Written by: Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” – Jim Rohn
I agree with Jim Rohn’s statement above. COVID-19 continues to be challenging with many of us continuing to dig deep to stay connected not only with others but also with ourselves. The dance between our self-doubt and self-belief is intensified during times of crisis and as leaders we must confidently navigate the unknown.
Self-belief is middle ground that keeps us unpretentious in our ability to meet challenges. It gives us a balance between egotism and self-doubt that allows us to lead with integrity and nourish our resilience.
Some of us display resilience that comes from our early life experiences. Patterns are established that define who we are and allow for positive outcomes with trust, self-belief and self-reliance leading to strong leadership. However, not everyone is afforded this in their early years with some of us displaying lack of confidence and self-criticism combined with disconnect and struggle with anything other than perfection and accepting that we are good enough.
If self-belief is the middle ground for us as leaders, what does it look like in reality? How do we action it?
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Martin Luther King, Jr...
Strong leaders are secure in themselves and are not afraid to display constant vulnerability, therefore, operating with integrity authentically. As a leader you are able to maintain a healthy relationship with others and you are able to work efficiently as you are not dealing with anxiety and levels of insecurity. You are able to stay calm when its stormy and hold a safe container for all. You respect yourself and equally respect others. Through self-belief as a leader, you work within the paradigm of assertiveness, not aggressiveness and are able to maintain boundaries as they ebb and flow.
Self-belief is the core source of your leadership resilience. So how do we build and maintain it? For me, daily reflection and affirmations are top of the list. I reflect on my Why, my story, and who I am as a leader. When saying affirmations, I state them out loud – “I am…” Two very small, but extremely powerful words.
Self-belief is a deeply internal grounding force that demands daily attention and discipline. Staying connected from within enables you as leader to stay calm and focused which leads to growth.
As a leader, if you are connected from within you have a knowing, a self-awareness and perspective that allows you to discern and deliver with ease what you and your team need each day while remaining humble and innovative. This creates a daily impact, holding us accountable for the actions we take, and allows us to work within a calm sense of self-belief and purpose that will support us in leading through this time of crisis.
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Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jennifer Sharp is a leader in the publishing industry, having founded an award-winning publishing press. She has assisted many with telling their success stories globally, whether it be in business or life. She has created coaching and mentoring programs that develop the writer's confidence in themselves and strategies that help them stay confident within themselves in all areas of their lives authentically. She is the founder of Daisy Lane Publishing and Mindset Magic - Confidence Coaching. Jennifer is on a mission to support as many as she can with living their life fully with positive intentions and to assist them with publishing their story along the way. Jennifer is also passionate about children's picture books and poetry, bringing to life stories that deal with trauma, displacement, homelessness, separation, domestic violence, and language learning.
