Does Your Suitcase Have a Matching Chapeau?

Recently, I was traveling through Chicago for a client trip and snapped this picture. This picture delights me! I love that this individual was so confident in themselves to match a yellow hat to their yellow suitcase. It is full of style, it is unapologetically themselves, and it invites conversation.

And after a week of teaching and coaching current and emerging leaders, I realized once again that there are many ways to be a leader, and yet the only way is to be yourself. There is no question that leadership skills can be practiced and taught, and obviously, I am a big believer in that. But, like the gentleman who had a suitcase to match his chapeau, or vice versa, I also believe that the best leaders are unapologetically themselves, invite conversation, and build trust by being authentic.

The world, and companies that want to thrive and navigate massive change need strong leaders with integrity, compassion, technical knowledge and leadership skills who continue to grow, are open to feedback, and do hard things.

Old school leadership styles of command and control, while appropriate in very limited situations, should not be the norm and likely are not super effective with a diverse workforce. Leadership that flexes with the generational styles, the diversity of their team, the individual style, and considers and balances the needs of the team, company, and individual requires practice, humility, vulnerability, empathy and compassion. 

These are not things that are often taught in MBA schools or other educational programs. In fact, in every company I have been in, there hasn’t been a single one that onboards leaders effectively with programs that prepare them for things like difficult conversations, moving from peer to leader, coaching skills, executive presence and perspective building. Never mind navigating the world challenges of the past several years.

The stakes are high for any company that wants to outpace the competition, deal with unforeseen circumstances, and navigate massive changes in their organization.

• Bersin by Deloitte found that 86% of companies with effective leadership programs are more innovative.
• And yet, Harvard Business Review (HBR) reports that only 47% of managers are prepared for next level leadership roles.
• HBR also reports that 82% of American workers would quit their job because of a bad manager. 

So, are you building leaders that can think and act with integrity, lean into their own style and who can lead effectively even in ambiguous situations? Build leaders and cultures that aren’t afraid to pair a yellow hat with a yellow suitcase and do it with confidence. I’m proud and passionate to partner with companies that want to enhance the trajectory of their leaders by enhancing their leadership skills and investing in their consistent and ongoing development.