#494 Be yourself more with skill

6 snips

Aug 26, 2025

Discover the power of authenticity in leadership and the importance of embracing your unique strengths. Learn how to craft your job to align with your passions and intentionally shape your work experiences. The role of feedback becomes a crucial tool for personal growth, helping you uncover blind spots. The conversation also emphasizes stepping into uncomfortable situations to spark growth, and the value of mentoring and community in enhancing skills and sharing knowledge. Embrace growth by being the best version of yourself!

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INSIGHT

Authentic Leadership Over A Blueprint

"Be yourself more with skill" means lean into your strengths while deliberately improving them.
There is no single blueprint for brilliant leadership; continual improvement unites great leaders.

ANECDOTE

Talking About Introversion Helped Sarah

Sarah started talking openly about being introverted and saw others connect with that honesty.
She doubled down on her unique strengths and invested learning where it gave the best ROI.

ADVICE

Make Your Job Your Design

Job craft your role by matching your strengths to what your team and organisation need.
Propose changes that solve others' problems to increase buy-in and stretch your strengths.

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This is the fourth and final episode in the Squiggly Careers Quote Series, and today Sarah shares the quote that has shaped her approach to leadership: “Be yourself more with skill.” Inspired by the book and article Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?, this episode explores how true leadership comes from leaning into your strengths and embracing uncomfortable situations that spark growth. There’s no blueprint for being brilliant, and whether you're in a leadership role or not, you don’t need to become someone you’re not—it’s about being a better version of yourself.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & Announcement

02:33 The quote: "Be yourself more with skill"

07:44 Action 1: Job Crafting – Be the architect of your career

10:30 Action 2: Ask for feedback on blindspots

13:03 Action 3: Have a squiggly stretch

🎯 What You’ll Learn

- How to lead authentically by leaning into your strengths

- How to be the architects of your own work life

- How to take intentional control of your job description

- Smart ways to ask for feedback on blindspots

- The value of stepping into uncomfortable situations

📚 Resources Mentioned

Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?: What It Takes To Be An Authentic Leader Hardcover

by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Should-Anyone-Led-You/dp/1578519713

HBR Article 'Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?: https://hbr.org/2000/09/why-should-anyone-be-led-by-you

Job Crafting Article by Dan Cable https://dan-cable.com/linkedin-article/job-crafting/

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.com

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:

📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/

🏃‍♀️ Join our next Skills Sprint: https://bit.ly/skillssprint2024

📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction

📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

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