Stand Tall & Own It - Empowering Purpose-Driven Women to Lead with Authenticity and Impact

Uplevel Your Leadership: Do You Want People to Follow You Or Are You Ready to Lead

• Andrea Johnson

Share episode

Feedback or Questions? Send us a text!

What happens when you take a deep dive into your personal growth journey and come out with a transformed leadership mindset? That's the question I grappled with as I prepared to level up and share my journey of intentional optimism with you. Reflecting on a recent enlightening conversation with Alisa Zhang, we found common ground in the concept of up-leveling oneself before showing others how to do the same. We make a crucial transition, shifting from prioritizing our own needs to focusing on the needs of others. If you're on the brink of a similar transition, or merely curious, join us on this thought-provoking journey.

Leadership is not about the number of followers you gather, but the impact you make.  More than just achieving objectives, we explore the delicate balance of allowing your team to flourish and sharing joy to lift people up.

The difference between being followed and leading:

Followed:

  • Protect ideas for fear someone will take credit
  • There’s only one right way to do things
  • Lack of delegation:  easier to do it myself
  • Unwilling to help others do more 

Leading:

  • Sharing your ideas
  • How things are done is more important than by who
  • Celebrating your team
  • Encouraging growth in others

Episode 6 - The Importance of Being Present
Episode 75 - Three Insights on Being Present


Learn more about Andrea:

Get involved here! 


Core Values Course Information Page (theintentionaloptimist.com)


Please leave us a rating and review!


Apple: just scroll to the bottom, choose a rating and write a review.


Podchaser (Android): you can go to this link here and leave a rating and review! https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/intentional-optimists-unconven-1406762 



Skillshare: Spark your creativity.
Get 40% Off Annual Membership

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Speaker 1:

Hey, it's summer 2023. If you're new to my world, welcome. I'm Andrea Johnson, a transformational leadership coach, and my passion is working with ambitious, high-achieving women who are truly ready to impact their world. The Intentional Optimists Unconventional Leaders podcast has been three years of teaching my philosophy and learning what high-achieving women all have in common in their stories, in their backgrounds and their mindset. I have interviewed over 75 amazing leaders and the information I've gleaned has actually changed my life. They've encouraged my growth and development in ways I never expected, and now it's time for me to level up. So I've got a brand new podcast coming out this fall and I can't wait to share it with you. It's currently in development and all the necessary gear shifting and whizz-bang thing of Majigee things are going on behind the scenes, so I want to refresh your memory, or share with you for the first time, if you're new, on some of these foundational and important concepts and thoughts that have contributed to the development of this next level. Between now and the new launch, i'm sharing with you my personal must-have episodes that will set you up to switch gears right along with me, and when I say switch gears, what I really mean is kick it into high gear. So if you want to level up along with me and be encouraged to grow past that spot where you keep getting stuck, subscribe or follow the show now, because right here is where the new podcast will live too. Share it with your friends and let's get the next revolution started. You're listening to Intentional Optimists, the podcast for unconventional leaders, where you'll find inspiration, learn to discover and develop your own strengths and hear from inspiring women just like you who are making a difference in their community. Who knows, you just might find yourself stepping up as the next unconventional leader right where you are. I'm your host, andrea Johnson, the original Intentional Optimist. Welcome to Episode 95.

Speaker 1:

In my last solo episode, i shared my quest to create Space on my calendar and my brain. I thought I was just practicing self-care, you know, following my own advice, but it turns out this process was a reflection of a major shift in my own thinking, one that I know I was looking for, hoping for even, but wasn't quite sure how to actually accomplish. It's definitely a reflection of my values and my philosophy, and I'd love to be able to say that this was something I've always done. Yep, here I am. I've always known how to do this and I'd love to give you brilliant examples, but the reality is, all leaders go through this process.

Speaker 1:

This is a mindset shift that, as I said, you can know about, want, look for and work towards, But until it happens for you, your leadership will always be a bit of a struggle. It's a shift from leadership being about ensuring that others follow you to leadership being about enabling, equipping and empowering those you lead to move the whole party forward. In entrepreneurial terms, it's no longer about what I need or want to provide, because that got all kinds of great ideas. It's about what the client needs or you need. So what happened when I removed some offers and shut some things down? Ironically, i actually made myself, my thoughts, my information, more accessible. Now my leadership in podcasting, coaching, training, consulting is less focused on me and more on you. The mindset shift happened first, then the action, but y'all that's a whole other podcast episode.

Speaker 1:

In my conversation with Alisa Zhang in last week's episode number 94, alisa shared how she set out on her own journey for financial independence, but there was a very distinct and real shift when she realized that this was something she could share with others. She speaks in terms of up-leveling and once you do it for yourself. You can then show others how, when you up-level others, you provide the opportunity for them to then do the same. Now, if you've not heard that conversation, i encourage you to scroll back one episode and check it out. At this point, it would be really easy to chase a rabbit down the hole of economic and political philosophy, especially in light of Alisa's mission of offering financial literacy education to a million people. It brings to mind the John F Kennedy quote. It says No American is ever made better off by pulling a fellow American down, and every American is made better off when any one of us is made better off. A rising tide raises all boats.

Speaker 1:

However, this is a leadership podcast, not an economic or political one, so I'm going to stay in my own lane and explain how this concept applies to leadership and personal growth. I'm going to continue to use my own example, because it's the one I know the best. Now I have my own philosophy and growth plan that you hear about every single week intentional optimism. This is a tool I offer to help individuals and groups become more self-aware, determine where they desire to grow and discover how to become effective and unique leaders. It took me at least a good two years to come up with it, from scribbled notes to big spreadsheets, then to six main categories and or tenets and then eventually to a sellboat analogy. That's very simple to explain, but it was still all from my perspective. Like Alisa, i wanted to share it, teach it and help others learn to live it, and so I did. I started this podcast. I opened a Facebook group, took on coaching clients and eventually opened a membership style group coaching program.

Speaker 1:

However, everything that I just listed, all that sharing of information, all that helping women grow was still from my perspective. For instance, i need my business to grow. Therefore, i'm going to offer all these things to everybody When, in reality, all the people didn't need or want all the things. Now, don't get me wrong 430 women joined my Facebook group. My podcast is about to hit 100 episodes. I have clients who've stuck with me through every iteration of my group coaching program and individual clients who've renewed multiple times.

Speaker 1:

But what I discovered and if you're listening closely you've probably heard it is that I was approaching the whole thing from a place of lack, scarcity, need grasping us, ugh. The big mindset shift was that I can't cajole, entice, badger boss or beg anyone to follow me. As a leader, i have to give them what they need in order to enable them to step in line and walk with me. Even though the desire to give them what they need was there, i mean, it was all coming from a place of wanting to help. I was doing it wrong. I hope that this lesson learned by a leadership coach actually gives you some solace if you've noticed that same thing in yourself. I mean, we all have baggage, sister, but that's not the point. The big change and the actual point was in seeing that eliminating things like my Facebook group, the videos from my emails and even the fancy membership platform from my group coaching program actually opened up opportunities to be more accessible. I know crazy talk, but by letting things go, i was letting go of some of that scarcity or fear and embracing a more open and abundant space. Of course, this is all over the tenets of present, like generosity, open hands, kindness and energetic focusing on others, sharing joy, excitement. So here I am, realizing that my philosophy and my personal growth plan is actually teaching and informing my life and work and transforming the way I lead. Yep, i'm a leader. I lead myself, my family, i lead in my church here on the podcast, as I coach, as a consultant, as a mentor and a parent, all of it.

Speaker 1:

But there's a difference between wanting people to follow and actually leading, even with the very best of intentions. Was I leading or did I just want people to follow, even though I wanted the best for them? But then Alisa Zhang's comment about wanting to up-level everyone around her so that everyone could have a better life spotlighted the changes that were starting to take place in my heart and mind. So how does this apply to you? You may not be an entrepreneur, but let's say you're a team leader or a small business owner. Maybe you want to be a team leader, you're just not there yet.

Speaker 1:

Either way do you find that you've got a vision for how things could happen, what or how things could be different, but it's just not going exactly as you envision. Well, here's my advice Ask yourself this one question Do you want people to follow you or are you really leading? I know nobody wants to admit it. Wanting people to follow you sounds shallow and self-centered. Most of us don't even think we're doing it. I mean, you want to help. You have an answer. You're in a position of leadership or management and you have expectations over you. Trust me, i've been there as well.

Speaker 1:

What's really interesting is that I went through this same metamorphosis in my corporate work. I just didn't realize it. So how do you then look at and understand and know the difference between the two, whether or not you just want people to follow or you're actually leading? Well, here are some examples of what it might look like. When you just want people to follow, you Buckle up. This is going to hit hard, close to the bone, and these are all things I did personally so I can share them. You ready? You protect your own ideas or information. I was afraid someone might steal them or take credit.

Speaker 1:

There's usually only one or a right way to do things. We've all been there. How about unmet expectations on your team or staff or for children Are met with punitive action, or at least thoughts of punitive action. There's a lack of delegation Gosh, it's just easier to do it myself. There's a lack of clarity in team roles. I actually called it cross training. There were plenty of people who one thought the other one was doing it and the other one thought they were doing it. Then there's frustration with the pace of a project or team progress. Gosh, that just gets you right at the heart of it, doesn't it? And then how about? are you unwilling to lose team members to their next best role, even if it's not with you?

Speaker 1:

In contrast, here are some examples of what it looks like when you want to lead people rather than having people follow you. Your ideas are shared freely, knowing that others might be able to expand and maximize what you actually start. How things are accomplished is much less important than who does them, and that they are completed on time. Expectations are clear and everyone strives to pull the whole team across the finish line. When expectations are unmet, you take responsibility for leadership in that area and possibly setting unrealistic expectations. I know it happens. Then you make changes.

Speaker 1:

Team members are celebrated for their strengths and given projects or roles that they perform best, allowing you to operate in your own zone of genius. Everyone understands their role, their boundaries and how to best perform. Success is measurable and goals are achieved on time and within scope and budget. Team members are celebrated, elevated and encouraged to outgrow their jobs and move on. Now.

Speaker 1:

Those lists, though not exhaustive, sound pretty stark and dramatic, so let me simplify it for you. If you're about what you get. At the end of the day, good or bad, you're looking for followers. If you're about what your team gets, at the end of the day, you're leading. This is what Alisa was talking about. Taking financial literacy to a million people could be very rewarding. It could bring a lot of accolades.

Speaker 1:

But if she does it the way she leads in her company, it won't be about what she can get. She prefers to lead by example, to be willing to do the work herself. Her mission, nebulous as it may sound, is to up-level everyone, or a million people, so that we can all have a better future. She's not interested in having people follow her. She's interested in putting people on their own path. That's leadership.

Speaker 1:

When I was in corporate, i used to tell interviewees that the jobs they were applying for were not landing pads, They were launching pads. I personally expected them to be gone in three to five years, faster if they were motivated, and I told them, yep, even at the beginning, in their very first interview, that if things go well, i would happily be a reference for them. Every single evaluation then included a talk about where they were headed. Sure, there were some who weren't really interested in moving up or around, but for the most part it fostered an openness in my team and a trust in the relationship. My mission now is to equip and empower female leaders to think critically, create imaginatively and lead effectively In any situation, team or organization.

Speaker 1:

Everything shared here on this podcast is for you, my friend. Are you ready to determine whether you are leading or you just want followers? If so, ask yourself how you measure up in these two areas of intentional optimism. First, the tenet of being present. Does generosity come naturally for you? I mean, there's no judgment here, just know yourself, because it doesn't come naturally for a lot of people. And if not, how can you foster a more generous spirit in your leadership? Looking at your ideas, your thoughts or delegating to a team member to help them grow or allow them to have the credit? How about openness?

Speaker 1:

If I'm feeling closed off, like I just want to protect everything, i will physically open my arms up and then my hands and take a deep breath. There are plenty of things you need to be wary of or you need to be on guard about, but in general, we can all be more welcoming and open. Incidentally, this physical posture of open arms and hands, think like the Jesus statue in Rio de Janeiro. It's a defenseless posture. You're not ready to fight. You're ready to welcome People. Feel that trust me. And how about kindness? Are you cutting everyone's in slack, including yourself? Are you offering the benefit of the doubt? I find that most people actually want to do well. Most people want to succeed. A little kindness can go a long way toward building the confidence of a team member so that they're more likely to become engaged and motivated to help the whole team succeed.

Speaker 1:

For a more detailed look at being present, i actually have two other episodes dedicated to that tenet, specifically Number six, which happens to be the most downloaded episode of all of my episodes, and number 75, you can check those out and we'll put links to them in the show notes. Second, it's the tenet of energetic. So how focused are you on the success of others Or, put it another way, on their flourishing? I found this much more of a challenge in my corporate work. You see, there were metrics, goals or deadlines as a middle manager that I was required to meet But, quite frankly, depended on my team getting things done. That puts pressure on you to just push for results And there's a delicate balance between achieving the objective and allowing your team to flourish. But it's not impossible.

Speaker 1:

How freely do you share joy or excitement? No, it doesn't need to all be about you. Quite frankly, it can be all about them. But sharing your own joy can be contagious. Sharing another person's joy is quite a selfless thing. It fosters trust and teamwork. But you have to get to know your team. Are you lifting them up, encouraging them to positive change? I'm the first to admit how easy it is to nag and point out everything that's wrong in a situation or a project. My husband hates to clean the kitchen because I walk in and immediately notice the one spot he missed.

Speaker 1:

Making a conscious effort to focus on being encouraging can make or break someone in the moment. It can bring a spirit of camaraderie and be a great catalyst to rally the whole team to move in a more productive direction. Checking in with yourself in these two areas will shine that spotlight on your own mindset and where you may or may not need some work. So do you need to up-level your leadership? My work and passion is to equip and empower you. No step in leadership growth is truly simple, but sometimes all you need is a perspective shift When you desire the best for those you lead.

Speaker 1:

Even if you currently fall into the Looking for Followers category, you've at least got a good foundation upon which to build. Don't despair you got this And I'm here ready to help. I absolutely love watching women realize their own leadership abilities and qualities and begin moving in a whole new way. So the question is how can I help you? Check out my website the link of courses in the show notes and see if you'd like to chat some more. If so, you can email me or set up a 30-minute consultation and we'll figure out a good strategy for you. Are you really leading or do you just want people to follow?

Speaker 1:

Now, before I go, i'd love to ask a favor of you. Would you please share this podcast with a friend? It's always good to get a rating and a review I love the five-star kind but the reality is that most people listen to a new podcast because a friend recommends it Always. True of me, almost all the podcasts I listened to were recommended by a friend or colleague, and we all have limited time and attention, so it's important that we make sure that we're using it wisely. So if this podcast has really helped you either one of the amazing inspiring interviews or even this solo.

Speaker 1:

Please share, i would greatly appreciate it. I love meeting you here each week, so thank you for the privilege of your time today. Until next time. Oh good, you're still here because I have one more invitation for you. My newsletter, optimistic Living, is full of good stuff delivered straight to your inbox. So, for weekly encouragement, tips and even some special offers, hop over to my website and sign up, because unconventional leaders lead at every level, in any area, using their unique gifts, and you, my friend, are a leader. You are the future of leadership and the role models for future generations.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Andrea Johnson

Host