The key to your success is your uniqueness.
Posted on March 31, 2011 by Suzanne Ferguson, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
Have you found your unique pathway to success? Find it by being authentic - an evolutionary process that begs the question - WHO AM I?
If you were to do an internet search and typed in “the keys to success” you would find 100 pages of links leading you to websites, blogs, articles, advertisements all offering the keys to success. So, if these keys are so easy to find, why are so many people in survival mode these days?
There is no one size fits all. Why? Because there are no two people exactly alike and given that we are all unique, what works for one will not necessarily work for another. And therein lies the key – your success will come through your uniqueness. We are all unique. We are unique in our DNA, we are unique in our experiences, our beliefs, patterns, and conditioning.
Authentic is the word I use to describe a person living their uniqueness. Being authentic is to be you. It is simple but not always easy. Being authentic is an evolutionary process which begs the question – WHO AM I? To be in this process you must question your beliefs, values, and patterns. Look at everything that you were taught as a child and ask yourself, “How is this true and does it serve me right now?” And then make a conscious choice.
To be an authentic leader:
•Know yourself – Socrates got it right thousands of years ago. “Know thyself” is you having a deep and intimate relationship with you.
•Grow yourself – Commit to your own personal evolution – it is a journey not a destination.
•Use your strengths – Know your natural gifts and use them.
•Speak your truth – Always speak from who you are with clarity and confidence. Dr. Seuss said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
•Do not take things personally – Being yourself is not always popular and you can count on getting feedback. And when the feedback comes – receive it, examine it, respond to what is accurate, discard what is not.
•Take care of yourself – Attend to your balance and well-being by taking care of each aspect of you on a daily basis; physical, emotional, mental, spiritual.
•Be responsible – You are 100% responsible for your experience – there are no victims. You are 100% responsible for your thoughts, words & actions – when you make a mistake (and you will) just clean it up.
•Create partnerships and collaborate with others – Do what you do best and fill in the gaps by partnering with others who also know and use their strengths. You will get far more accomplished when you work with others.
What will you do to be an authentic leader?
