BIG LEADERSHIP: One Path to Greatness. Are You Being the Best Leader You Can Be?

Not surprisingly, I get asked about leadership often. In particular, what makes a good leader? What makes a great leader? Is great leadership innate, or can it be learned?

Here is what I believe. Leadership is a being, not only a doing or a knowing. You have probably seen people who know a lot about leadership, and yet are not good leaders as they do not embody the being of leadership. To be a leader.

To become a good or even great leader starts with self. You need to first lead yourself. To understand who you are as a leader, To reflect on your knowing, doing, and being of leadership. And build from there.

Look for the opportunities to grow yourself and your leadership. To become more mature as a leader, more developed as a leader, to grow yourself so that you always have something to offer. I talk about this a lot, the need to be learning in order to become even better in terms of your practise of leadership, in becoming a leader, so that you always have something to offer your tribe.

So, I want to share with you today an example of what I believe is one key to greatness in leadership, to becoming a great leader. An example of the being of leadership.

Earlier this week, I was talking to someone I have known for a really long time who holds a very senior position in an organisation. When I asked her how she was going, she said, ‘I’m going well’, and then she paused …. and said she is doing some reflection. Reflecting on her own leadership.

Now, she was not reflecting on her leadership performance, which is excellent. She was not reflecting on her specific actions as a leader. She was not reflecting on whether she was a good leader or a great leader. What she was reflecting on and asking herself was, is she the best leader she can be right now? 

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Earn your leadership every day.

~ Michael Jordan, former NBA basketball player

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Is she the best leader she can be?

This is not about someone else asking her to step up. This is not someone else pointing out gaps in her performance or how she is being a leader.

This is a question she is asking herself. She is taking time and space to sit with this question. Am I the best leader I can be?

This is owning your leadership being.

She does not know the answer to this question yet. She does not know what the answer will likely be. Yet she is taking some time to sit with the question, is she being the best leader she can be?

For someone to consider this question, to reflect on themselves and their leadership, and their being of leadership, I believe is what contributes to greatness in a leader. The ability to even ask themselves the question is remarkable leadership.

So, how do you reflect on your being of leadership?

I'd love to know your thoughts.

Big Leadership. Leaders with big vision, who challenge the status quo, make bold decisions, and take brave action, create the future.

Our world needs Big Leadership.

Dr Stacey Ashley CSP is a Leadership Visionary, 9 time International Stevie award winning coach, international speaker and 6 time Amazon #1 bestselling author.

She has been nominated for the Telstra Business & Women's Awards nine times, and in 2021 & 2018 was named in LinkedIn’s Top Voices.

Stacey helps CEOs and their teams get out of the trenches, to lead strategically and with influence.

She typically speaks at conferences, develops leadership strategy and programs, consults and coaches.

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Enquire about working with Stacey:

✉ info@staceyashley.com or ✆ + 61 2 8006 1733.