Being a good leader requires embodying qualities such as self-awareness, kindness, vision, accountability, trust, and empathy.
Leadership should prioritize trust, human connection, and approaching leadership as a team sport.
Deep dives
Leadership Skills: Vulnerability and Purpose
Brene Brown and Simon Sinek discuss the most important leadership skills. According to Brown, being a good leader means embodying basic skills of being a good human being, such as self-awareness, kindness, vision, accountability, trust, and empathy. Sinek emphasizes the importance of trust and human connection in leadership, highlighting the need to meet people where they are and approach leadership as a team sport. Both speakers emphasize the value of vulnerability and finding one's purpose as essential elements of effective leadership.
Overcoming Leadership Challenges
The conversation also addresses challenges faced by leaders, including struggles with motivation and energy. The speakers suggest the need to dig into the underlying causes of exhaustion, which may stem from feelings of loneliness, despair, or unrealistic expectations. They highlight the importance of self-care, setting boundaries, and seeking support when needed. Additionally, they caution against the dangers of self-sacrifice and the need for leaders to differentiate between healthy empathy and unhealthy enmeshment.
Developing Leadership Skills
When it comes to developing leadership skills, both speakers emphasize the importance of practice, skills building, and trying on new ways of being. They emphasize the value of creating safe spaces or brave spaces where individuals can engage in vulnerable conversations and learn from one another. They also discuss the role of incentive structures in fostering leadership development and stress the need for leaders to be willing learners rather than knowers. Finally, they suggest the importance of normalizing different career paths and acknowledging that not everyone may aspire to be in formal leadership positions.
Managing Up and Influencing Leaders
The speakers provide guidance on managing up and influencing leaders who may not be open to feedback or self-awareness. They advise individuals to lead by example, modeling the behaviors they desire from their leaders. They also suggest having effective confrontations and using techniques such as expressing feelings, addressing specific behaviors, and discussing the potential impact of not fostering a positive environment. The speakers also highlight the importance of finding common ground and initiating conversations from a place of appreciation and shared goals.
Brené Brown and Simon Sinek are two of the world's most influential thought leaders. They’ve shared their insights on the power of vulnerability and purpose in viral TED talks, hit podcasts, and bestselling books. Adam invites Brené and Simon to a lively discussion about the most important skills for leaders to build -- and the most vital steps for organizations to put people first. Together, they also field audience questions on earning trust, giving upward feedback, and creating better leadership opportunities for the next generation. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts.
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