In an exclusive interview with us, Executive coach and Expert Olivia Galvin said that her clients’ biggest barrier to leadership development and career progression was, self-doubt and lack of confidence to own up to their mistakes.
Whilst there’s a lot that goes into becoming a fully aware, inspiring leader here’s how you can start.
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
-Lucille Ball
Don’t chase your tail, chase your dreams!
Are you sure you aren’t becoming an obstacle to your growth? According to Galvin, oftentimes leaders lack the confidence to admit their mistakes. As a leader, you need to start working inwards to drive change within your organisation.
Expert tip: seek help when needed. Professional mentors exist so that they can work with you to work on you. Seeking help ensures that you have a healthy mindset both in the office and beyond.
Work on your confidence
Be Human: Start with admitting that you’re human. It is alright to have emotions and to make mistakes. Allow yourself to make mistakes and improve upon them as you go.
“Confidence isn’t about believing that you’re good at everything …. confident people are actually people who accept that they have areas that need developing and areas that they’re weak in..”
Olivia Galvin
You can be both a great parent and a great boss: You don’t have to choose between your passion and your baby. In recent research by Maynooth University, it was found that 20% of mothers felt the pressure to leave their job due to home-schooling versus 5% of fathers.
In other findings, 65% of the families reported mothers taking full responsibility for homeschooling versus 5% where the father is and 23% where both parents share the responsibility.
Expert tip: Use the 4D’s but most importantly, the third.
- Do
- Defer
- Delegate
- Delete (Drop).
In another insightful interview with Change Expert, Senior HR and passionate D&I Strategist, Gillian Harford, a significant factor in overcoming barriers to career progression was brought to light.
The importance of being your own cheerleader
Don’t wait for pigs to fly!
How you wish, life was a fairytale! Except that it isn’t. C’est la vie! Real stories get better by the day and that’s the magic of corporate life.
Ladies, this is for you: In bold and red, do not expect someone to notice your behind-the-scenes good deeds and efforts. Reduce dependability, don’t depend on others to feel appreciated and empowered.
While discussing the princess syndrome, Harford explains how “women are more likely to keep their head down, and hope that if they do a great job, it will be recognised, and they will win the tiara.”
Princess Syndrome in simple terms is living life like a fairytale where you expect others to acknowledge and uplift you.
Reduce dependability, don’t depend on others to feel appreciated and empowered.
Hunter Executive Search
The most important step in your leadership journey is understanding that being a princess has to stop if you wish to be a queen who builds her empire.
Encouraging women to advance their careers and not turn down leadership roles is key to “balancing the slate” and overcoming the barrier to women on boards, states Harford.
Don’t let this be another affirmation. It’s time to put progress before perfection, make that call now! Looking for a skilled leader who can lead the change? Book your consultation now.