Episode 50 How to Strengthen Your Leadership Identity

Speaker: 00:00:04

Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable,

the podcast for ambitious female

2

: 00:00:09

leaders who want to create more impact,

income, and influence in their careers.

3

: 00:00:14

feel connected to their passion

and purpose, but without

4

: 00:00:17

selling out or burning out.

5

: 00:00:19

I'm Sarah Archer, a leadership coach

and career strategist, helping women

6

: 00:00:23

like you thrive in leadership roles

while staying true to your values.

7

: 00:00:28

I'm the founder of CareerTree

Coaching and have over 15 years of

8

: 00:00:32

coaching experience and significant HR

leadership experience to share with you.

9

: 00:00:38

I know as a female leader it can

be hard to find time to focus

10

: 00:00:42

on your career aspirations.

11

: 00:00:44

The day job can be all consuming.

12

: 00:00:47

Plus, no matter how senior you are,

there are always going to be times

13

: 00:00:51

when you feel stuck, when you have

self doubt, or feel like an imposter.

14

: 00:00:56

And that's where unstuck

and unstoppable comes in.

15

: 00:01:00

Each week I'll be sharing practical

strategies, insightful interviews and

16

: 00:01:05

inspiring stories to help you boost

your confidence, lead with purpose

17

: 00:01:10

and achieve sustainable success.

18

: 00:01:13

If you're ready to stop playing

small and unlock the incredible

19

: 00:01:16

potential you have within you and feel

unstoppable, you're in the right place.

20

: 00:01:22

Let's get started.

21

: 00:01:27

Welcome to episode 50.

22

: 00:01:30

I can't believe that we've actually

recorded 50 episodes and I've just

23

: 00:01:36

come back from my business retreat

in Spain and this time last year.

24

: 00:01:41

Or at the retreat last year,

the podcast idea was born.

25

: 00:01:45

So it's quite nice that I've hit

50 episodes just as I come back

26

: 00:01:50

from a retreat a year later.

27

: 00:01:53

So yeah, so it's crazy.

28

: 00:01:54

But I'm so pleased that you

are enjoying the podcast.

29

: 00:01:57

Thank you for your messages, letting

me know that you're really enjoying it.

30

: 00:02:01

I love doing the recordings.

31

: 00:02:02

It's just fantastic.

32

: 00:02:04

To be able to share some of

these theories, tools, ideas,

33

: 00:02:09

inspiration with you, and today's

topic is no different really.

34

: 00:02:13

Before we get into today's topic,

I've got a little competition for

35

: 00:02:18

you to celebrate the 50th episode.

36

: 00:02:21

So if you leave me a review, if you've

enjoyed any of the episodes, leave me a

37

: 00:02:26

review or a five star rating and message

me to tell me that you've done that.

38

: 00:02:31

I will pop you into a drawer to win.

39

: 00:02:35

, A one-to-one coaching session with me.

40

: 00:02:37

So we'll keep it open

until the 18th of November.

41

: 00:02:42

And , I will then announce on the

podcast episode that week who has won

42

: 00:02:47

the draw and obviously message them

43

: 00:02:50

. So good luck with that.

44

: 00:02:51

Today's topic is a

really interesting topic.

45

: 00:02:54

And vital for female leaders as well.

46

: 00:02:58

The reason I chose it, so how to

strengthen your leadership identity

47

: 00:03:02

was because a lot of clients that I'm

working with at the moment, female

48

: 00:03:06

clients, female leaders, are struggling

with some of this identity work

49

: 00:03:12

even in progressive organizations.

50

: 00:03:14

I think it's important that we talk about.

51

: 00:03:17

What's going on that can get in the

way of our leadership success that is

52

: 00:03:20

outside of our control because we have

seen an awareness for these societal and

53

: 00:03:27

organizational biases that exist despite

all the great DEI work that has been done.

54

: 00:03:33

Those biases are still around, even

in the most progressive organizations

55

: 00:03:36

they are around to a degree.

56

: 00:03:38

So understanding them and knowing

how to navigate them through having

57

: 00:03:42

a strong leadership identity.

58

: 00:03:44

Is really important.

59

: 00:03:46

What I'm gonna do today is run through

, some of those biases to remind you

60

: 00:03:50

of what they are, and then talk about

three ways that you can strengthen your

61

: 00:03:55

leadership identity and three actions you

can take away to put into practice today.

62

: 00:04:02

These biases exist and they create

this , web, invisible web that we

63

: 00:04:06

then have to navigate US leaders

because biases aren't loud.

64

: 00:04:10

They're not obvious, they're

subtle, they're quiet, and

65

: 00:04:14

sometimes we forget about them.

66

: 00:04:15

And we think it's more to do with USS

than it is to do with what's going on

67

: 00:04:19

unseen in the organization, the first one

that we are aware of is affinity bias,

68

: 00:04:24

and that's where leaders tend to promote.

69

: 00:04:28

People that remind them of themselves.

70

: 00:04:30

If it's a male dominated promotion

panel or interview panel, they are

71

: 00:04:34

more likely to promote a man than

a woman into that leadership role.

72

: 00:04:41

There's also the performance versus

potential bias as well, where studies

73

: 00:04:46

have shown that men are promoted more

based on their potential for the role

74

: 00:04:50

where women are promoted based on their

proven experience, meaning that women are

75

: 00:04:55

often overqualified for the role that they

want because they have to prove they've

76

: 00:05:00

already done it, rather than mending,

promoted based on their potential.

77

: 00:05:04

And, this isn't, about

being negative about men.

78

: 00:05:07

'cause you're gonna be working with

some great men in your workplace.

79

: 00:05:10

It's about the societal barriers

and biases that are there

80

: 00:05:13

that women also have as well.

81

: 00:05:16

Some of the studies will show that,

we are demonstrating those biases

82

: 00:05:20

alongside our male counterparts.

83

: 00:05:23

A Harvard study found that if a man and

a woman both achieve the same result,

84

: 00:05:28

the man is more likely to be seen as

strategic, whereas the woman is more

85

: 00:05:32

likely to be seen as hardworking.

86

: 00:05:34

So this is why thinking about

these biases demonstrates why it's

87

: 00:05:38

important that we own our leadership

identity and our narrative.

88

: 00:05:42

Because we're gonna be more

in control of the perceptions

89

: 00:05:45

about us, which otherwise can.

90

: 00:05:48

Derail our leadership success.

91

: 00:05:52

We've also got the double bind, which

you probably are aware of, which

92

: 00:05:56

is likability versus competence.

93

: 00:05:59

A woman has to demonstrate, not only is

she competent to do the job, but she's

94

: 00:06:03

also warm, likable, and collaborative.

95

: 00:06:08

And we know that, if a woman.

96

: 00:06:11

Perhaps puts that to one side and

just focuses on doing the job.

97

: 00:06:14

They can be seen as cold they can be seen

as pushy, they can be seen as aggressive.

98

: 00:06:20

So you're always feeling that you've got

to walk that very fine line between not

99

: 00:06:25

being too warm and too likable so that

you're not taken seriously in terms of

100

: 00:06:30

the message you're trying to get across.

101

: 00:06:32

But then again, not not demonstrating

that likability because.

102

: 00:06:38

Not only do we have to be competent,

we have to be seen as being

103

: 00:06:41

somebody that people could get along

with, that can be seen as being

104

: 00:06:44

collaborative, whereas a male colleague

doesn't have to demonstrate that.

105

: 00:06:50

There was an interesting bit of

research done by Cheryl Sandberg.

106

: 00:06:54

Which was published in the Harvard

Business Review where participants were

107

: 00:06:58

asked, and so male female participants

were asked to rate a successful

108

: 00:07:02

entrepreneur's leadership style.

109

: 00:07:04

And they were told the leader

was male, and the found him

110

: 00:07:07

to be confident and competent.

111

: 00:07:11

They were given the same information,

but were told that the entrepreneur

112

: 00:07:15

was female and they found her

to be self-promoting and harsh.

113

: 00:07:20

This is why controlling our own

narrative and building up our

114

: 00:07:24

leadership identity is so important

because we can't control those biases.

115

: 00:07:29

We can only control ourselves and how we

are projecting ourselves into the world.

116

: 00:07:35

Then the final one is the prove it

again, bias, which is similar to the

117

: 00:07:39

potential bias, whereas women have

to repeatedly prove their competence.

118

: 00:07:45

Women are less likely to be seen

as risk takers in a study done by

119

: 00:07:48

Korn Ferry, and therefore they were

passed over for decision making roles

120

: 00:07:53

that required bold decision making.

121

: 00:07:56

So it's again, having to prove that

you have that competence, that you have

122

: 00:07:59

that capability rather than potential.

123

: 00:08:04

Now, this constant pressure of these

biases means that often as female leaders,

124

: 00:08:10

we feel this needs to always be over

prepared for speaking up in meetings.

125

: 00:08:14

We always have to make sure we've ticked

all the boxes before we apply for that

126

: 00:08:18

leadership role, or we go for promotion.

127

: 00:08:20

We often undersell our

achievements because we don't

128

: 00:08:23

want to be seen as bragging.

129

: 00:08:26

The result is that you spend a lot of

energy trying to navigate all these

130

: 00:08:30

unseen barriers to leadership success.

131

: 00:08:34

And, it could often feel like it's that

uphill battle the whole time to have the

132

: 00:08:40

leadership success that you want because

of this invisible web in the organization

133

: 00:08:45

that you're trying to navigate.

134

: 00:08:47

Let's move now to what

you can do about it.

135

: 00:08:50

Because you can't single

handedly change that.

136

: 00:08:52

Over time we're hoping that those

biases are going to become less and

137

: 00:08:55

less, but they're still prevalent

in lots of organizations, even

138

: 00:08:59

, really progressive organizations.

139

: 00:09:01

And obviously what's going on in

America is not helping either.

140

: 00:09:06

The three things that you can think about

to do to build your leadership identity

141

: 00:09:11

and really own it, is to think about the

three layers of leadership credibility.

142

: 00:09:17

So that's visibility, voice, and value.

143

: 00:09:21

Visibility, if we take that one first.

144

: 00:09:24

That is being strategic about

your leadership visibility.

145

: 00:09:28

I talk a lot about personal

leadership branding with my clients,

146

: 00:09:32

so it's being really clear about.

147

: 00:09:35

Your leadership brand and how you

want to communicate that and who

148

: 00:09:38

you want to communicate that to.

149

: 00:09:41

So identifying who are the key

decision makers in your organization.

150

: 00:09:44

'cause remember, your energy is precious.

151

: 00:09:46

You don't want to be spreading this,

visibility far and why it's better to

152

: 00:09:50

be targeted about who you want to be

visible to and what you want 'em to know

153

: 00:09:55

about you so that you are on their radar.

154

: 00:09:59

You are confident to talk about.

155

: 00:10:01

The work that you're doing, the

challenge of the work that you're

156

: 00:10:04

doing, the complexity of the work

that you're doing, so they get a real

157

: 00:10:07

understanding of what you are bringing

to the business and to the organization.

158

: 00:10:13

And you want to be invited to the

rooms where decisions are made.

159

: 00:10:18

So having that visibility will mean

that you are going to be included

160

: 00:10:24

in those key decision making

discussions because they can see

161

: 00:10:27

the value add that you are bringing.

162

: 00:10:29

One quick action you could do is to ask

yourself, do the key decision makers in

163

: 00:10:34

my organization know about my recent wins?

164

: 00:10:37

Am I telling people enough people,

the right people about what I'm doing

165

: 00:10:42

and the success that I'm bringing,

the value add that I'm making.

166

: 00:10:46

The second one is voice, and that is

your leadership voice in terms of how

167

: 00:10:51

you express your ideas and the influence

and impact you have through your voice.

168

: 00:10:56

So again, thinking about the

different opportunities you have to.

169

: 00:11:01

Articulate your ideas and your influence.

170

: 00:11:05

Are you doing seeing stakeholders?

171

: 00:11:07

Are you doing it with

your boss and your peers?

172

: 00:11:09

Are you doing it with your team and

creating opportunities for you to

173

: 00:11:13

have the the chance to influence the

impact and make impact in meetings?

174

: 00:11:20

Doing a quick audit of, in the

last meeting that I was in, did I

175

: 00:11:24

feel like I had the opportunity to.

176

: 00:11:27

To speak the opportunity to share

my ideas, the opportunities to ask

177

: 00:11:31

questions, the opportunity to get

people to have a different perspective.

178

: 00:11:36

'cause it's not always

about asserting your views.

179

: 00:11:39

It might be asking great questions

that make people think differently.

180

: 00:11:42

And again, it comes back to your branding.

181

: 00:11:44

What do you want to be

known for in those meetings?

182

: 00:11:47

Are you getting that across?

183

: 00:11:49

And the third thing is the value that

you are bringing to the organization

184

: 00:11:54

because you're probably really great at

what you do in terms of delivery, but

185

: 00:11:58

you also want to be showing that you

are a strategic thinker and a strategic

186

: 00:12:02

business partner to the organization.

187

: 00:12:06

How are you demonstrating that big

picture thinking within the organization?

188

: 00:12:10

And part of that could be about

taking radical responsibility

189

: 00:12:13

in your organization.

190

: 00:12:14

Not just thinking about your area of

expertise, your department, your team,

191

: 00:12:19

but what are the wider issues in the

business that you could take some radical

192

: 00:12:22

responsibility for enabling other people

to solve or be involved in yourself in

193

: 00:12:28

terms of solving those bigger picture?

194

: 00:12:31

Wider organizational issues, which

again, will showcase the value that

195

: 00:12:36

you are bringing to the organization.

196

: 00:12:39

And if one of your leadership brand

elements is about being a creative

197

: 00:12:44

problem solver, then it might be that

you are asking great questions that

198

: 00:12:49

help the organization solve problems.

199

: 00:12:50

It might not be solving those problems

yourself in terms of implementation,

200

: 00:12:54

but it might be you want to be known

for, bringing that creative thinking

201

: 00:12:58

to organizational wide problems.

202

: 00:13:02

Again, it's coming back to what do you

want to be known for in your organization

203

: 00:13:05

in terms of your leadership identity?

204

: 00:13:08

So three actions you can take to start

creating your leadership identity or

205

: 00:13:14

strengthening your leadership identity.

206

: 00:13:16

One would be to audit your personal

leadership brand so you know, what

207

: 00:13:21

are you known for in the organization,

what do you want to be known for?

208

: 00:13:24

And your brand is what people say

about you when you're not in the room.

209

: 00:13:28

One thing you could do, which

can be a real eyeopener, is just

210

: 00:13:32

ask three trusted colleagues.

211

: 00:13:34

What is one strength that

they associate with you?

212

: 00:13:38

This could be a confirmation of your

leadership brand if they're coming back

213

: 00:13:42

with the strengths that you are wanting

to communicate to the organization.

214

: 00:13:46

But if it's not, it could be a great

opportunity to either identify the

215

: 00:13:49

strengths that you haven't been

playing up to, or it might be about

216

: 00:13:53

actually realizing that things you're

communicating are playing down your

217

: 00:13:57

strengths that you want to be known for.

218

: 00:13:59

So that can be one great

thing to think about doing.

219

: 00:14:02

The second thing is seeking

out strategic sponsors.

220

: 00:14:05

You might have a mentor, which is

great, who can give you advice and

221

: 00:14:08

support, but sponsors can be champions.

222

: 00:14:11

They can be advocates for you.

223

: 00:14:12

They can be door openers.

224

: 00:14:15

If you don't have sponsors in

the organization or externally.

225

: 00:14:19

It could be a great thing in terms

of your leadership identity to be

226

: 00:14:22

associated with a sponsor that you

really connect with and you can

227

: 00:14:26

develop a reciprocal arrangement with.

228

: 00:14:28

It's not just about them doing

everything for you, it's about you

229

: 00:14:32

supporting them and also building the

relationship that you have with them.

230

: 00:14:36

Thinking about who in my organization

do I really want to build a strong

231

: 00:14:41

relationship with, that they could

also become a sponsor and advocate

232

: 00:14:45

for me within the organization.

233

: 00:14:48

So when you are not in the room, that

sponsor could be floating your name

234

: 00:14:52

as somebody who could deliver great

things to the organization or be part

235

: 00:14:55

of a project or have an opportunity

that would help your leadership career.

236

: 00:15:00

And the third one, which is

perhaps the most important, is

237

: 00:15:03

really owning your narrative.

238

: 00:15:05

If you don't believe your

leadership story, then how can

239

: 00:15:08

you expect other people in the

organization to believe it too?

240

: 00:15:12

Self validating.

241

: 00:15:13

So owning your leadership successes,

owning your leadership strengths, being

242

: 00:15:17

really clear about them, how they fit

into your leadership brand, and being

243

: 00:15:21

confident, communicating those strengths

and your story within the organization.

244

: 00:15:27

In terms of that audit, what are you

going to be wanting to communicate around

245

: 00:15:33

your story of how you've become a leader?

246

: 00:15:36

Okay.

247

: 00:15:36

I hope that by strengthening your

leadership identity, owning your

248

: 00:15:41

narrative, defining your leadership brand,

building your voice, visibility and value.

249

: 00:15:47

You're going to be better able

then to navigate some of those

250

: 00:15:49

biases that we are going to face as

female leaders in the organization.

251

: 00:15:54

And I'd love to know what you're

gonna take away and actually try

252

: 00:15:59

out in terms of strengthening

your current leadership identity.

253

: 00:16:02

So are you going to audit your brand?

254

: 00:16:04

Are you gonna seek a sponsor?

255

: 00:16:06

Are you gonna do some work

around your leadership narrative?

256

: 00:16:09

I would love to know that.

257

: 00:16:10

You don't have to do it alone, it is

also about thinking what do you need to

258

: 00:16:14

help you strengthen your leadership?

259

: 00:16:17

To, and if it's something you

would like some leadership coaching

260

: 00:16:21

around, then please do get in touch.

261

: 00:16:24

I can offer you a free strategy call

where we can work through what are

262

: 00:16:28

the key things you're gonna need some

help with to get you to where you

263

: 00:16:31

want to be in your leadership career.

264

: 00:16:38

Thank you so much for listening

to this episode of the Unstuck

265

: 00:16:42

and Unstoppable podcast.

266

: 00:16:44

I have lots of free resources you

can access on my website, ww.career

267

: 00:16:48

tree coaching.co

268

: 00:16:50

uk, and I'll also put

links in the show notes.

269

: 00:16:54

If you found this episode

helpful, then please subscribe

270

: 00:16:57

so you don't miss the next one.

271

: 00:16:59

And please do share it with a

friend and leave me a review

272

: 00:17:02

and I will personally thank you.

273

: 00:17:05

Remember, you're capable of more

than you know, shine brightly.

274

: 00:17:10

Lead boldly and unlock the

extraordinary potential within you.

275

: 00:17:14

Be unstoppable.