What Leader truly inspires me?

Have you ever taken a moment to think about the last time a leader truly made an impact on you, prompting you to consider what really matters to you? Inspiration, or the reminder of the fundamental values you aspire to embody as a leader, can come unexpectedly, if only we pay attention.

Recently, my inspiration came from an unconventional source: a singer I barely knew, discovered at a concert. By expressing his values, he mirrored what I strive to embody daily as a corporate aeronaut: authenticity, the power of intention, and complementarity.

Imagine, this revelation happened in just two sentences during the first three minutes on stage:

Authenticity and vulnerability: “It’s easy for me to sing and play, but speaking has always been harder. Thanks to you, I’m improving day by day.” Hearing this artist discuss his fears, embrace them in song, and explain how they help him move forward was a powerful reminder of the strength that vulnerability represents.

The power of intention: “When I was little, my synthesizer, which I called the magic machine, allowed me to see beyond walls and mountains.” This reference to childhood dreams illustrates how our earliest aspirations can give us direction and a focus to channel our energy and resources.

Valuing diversity and complementarity: With three women among the seven musicians, each displaying a distinct style from the first minutes, the band demonstrated impressive complementarity, orchestrated by a leader who knew how to highlight individual talents to create a harmonious collective performance.

What if, beyond your readings and traditionally charismatic figures, you let every encounter inspire you by asking yourself these questions?

What resonates with me about what this person reveals about themselves? How are they a reflection of my own aspirations?

When have I felt that leadership values important to me were embodied by someone I know?

Who has recently given me an unexpected lesson in leadership?

I often share with the leaders I coach a daily exercise: each evening, take a few minutes to think about who to thank that day for their courage, for their ability to pleasantly surprise during a discussion, and also reflect on how we have embodied these essential values during the day.

These moments of reflection remind us of what is crucial and feed our desire to strengthen what really matters to us the next day (and it’s also an excellent remedy for falling asleep quickly).

So, are you ready to try this exercise for a few days?

I will continue translating the remaining articles in the next submissions. Let me know if you need any specific focus or adjustments for the translated content so far!

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Le 2 février 2024 par Hélène Benier

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