Let's talk Transformation : The business leaders podcast #53 Transformation through acknowledgement with Kylee Stone
"A lack of acknowledgement leads to people feeling under-appreciated and gives rise to hidden resentment, internalising suffering and has a huge impact at a human level”
Kylee and I dive into the power of storytelling, and more compassionate authentic leadership. Storytelling brings about transformation and offers the biggest breakthroughs, allowing people to discover their potential and develop organically, regardless of job title.
So much goes unseen and unrecognised in today's workplace, and suffering is internalised and continues - silently. The power of acknowledging the different patterns and reactions can lead to different, and more transformative leadership for both individuals and collectively.
Kylee shares her stories, insights and experience form working with leaders and business owners around the world.
The main insights you'll get from this episode are :
- It is time to disrupt the status quo of traditional leadership - a hierarchical system offers many roles at the bottom but few at the top, where there is little space to act and lead.
- Storytelling brings about transformation and offers the biggest breakthroughs, allowing people to discover their potential and develop organically, regardless of job title.
- It should not be about a set direction or ultimate goal, but rather the journey itself, to pursue passions, vision, values and purpose in order to be more productive and authentic.
- Coaching others helps us on our own journey of where to position ourselves and recognising what our priorities are. Others demonstrating what to do makes us ask ourselves what we want, e.g. the opportunity to make a real difference.
- Clarity on values requires us to look back on our own lives and ask what we fight for or against - the indicators of our core values - but focus tends to be on company as opposed to personal values.
- We often feel a disconnect between our work self and home self; many of us stay in a place of fear for our entire career, climbing a vertical ladder - the turning point is to acknowledge that fear.
- We must use acknowledgement as a lever, the first step to dismantling a lack of freedom – to acknowledge and be truthful to ourselves about what is really going on, i.e. are we showing up but not being authentic?
- We must make changes inside to bring about changes outside - the challenge for leaders is how to make the difference: they are blamed when things go badly yet miss out on acknowledgement and praise when things go well as it is directed at their team.
- It is not a leader’s job to make others happy or give answers; they can be good at talking and advising, but not so good at listening (to help employees make discoveries for themselves).
- A coach is a good reference point for leaders by providing feedback as opposed to answers; stepping back, allowing others to come forward and making them feel safe.
- A lack of acknowledgement leads to people feeling underappreciated and gives rise to hidden resentment, internalising suffering and having a huge impact at a human level.
- Acknowledgement is an ongoing practice that requires a change in habits; power comes from our own acknowledgement of what is happening in our lives and what we want to be acknowledged for.
- There is no difference between men and women on this point despite the common assumption that women need acknowledgement more (in the workplace) – all humans have the same basic psychological needs.
- We must break our own (unconscious) bias and look at practices for ourselves before we can help others - great leaders are people that others want to be around by showing up for themselves in the best way possible.
- We need compassionate leadership that empathises with mental health, (inter-generational) trauma, self-criticism, etc. A community must thrive for people to be happy, and everything we do for ourselves has a ripple effect for those around us - we are wired for connection.