It’s often said that leadership can be lonely. What’s less commonly understood is that in being wholly alone there is an opportunity to be wholly oneself. It’s the key to high performance.
As a leading executive coach, I see leaders struggling with loneliness. Some avoid it and turn their team into friends. Others deny it and don’t face reality. Others supress it and exhaust themselves by being someone they are not. It’s no wonder business performance suffers.
Loneliness and being wholly oneself is the first paradox of many for leaders to manage. And developing the skill of managing paradox is at the heart of being a better leader.
My approach to leadership and coaching focuses on developing this skill, the ability to manage the opposites inherent in many business problems and find a way forward. Being alone and wholly oneself, delivering on cost and quality, having more empowerment and control.
I work closely with leaders to see the root cause of limiting beliefs, mindsets and behaviours. I help them to see the alternatives and put in place actions that make a difference.
And in doing so, leaders can harness their individual characteristics, enabling them to perform at their best. They grow into more mature leaders. Improving performance. Making a difference in the world of work.