The Art and Science of Leadership: How to Bring Your Personal Leadership Brand to Life

Unlocking Greater Leader Effectiveness through Self-Discovery, Action-Oriented Growth Plans, and a Network of Supporters

So much about leadership has changed over the course of the last 3-5 years; but despite these changes so much about leadership has remained constant, too. The biggest factor about leadership that is true today and will most likely be true forever is, YOU control what leadership is, looks like in action, and what impact it can have on others. Leadership, and more specifically, how you bring your personal leadership brand to life impacts your career and defines the promise of what others can expect when they work with you.

For years, working in the private sector in the learning and development space, I would tell leaders attending my corporate training workshops that leadership is both an art and a science. The science is all about “what you do” as a leader. The art is about “how you do” it. When done well together, it unleashes energy and enthusiasm for what it is you’re selling and influences others to behave just like you.

The Science? Every effective leader needs to have and communicate a compelling vision. Even if they don’t know the exact destination, they need to have a sense of the direction they’re moving toward. And leaders must know how to lead strategically, be able to translate that into goals and objectives and milestones, and they need to motivate and collaborate with their teams and other leaders to get work done. I think of the science as the skills behind your leadership and certainly these can be improved over time.

The Art? For me, that’s essentially who you say you are. It’s your character. It’s the qualities of leadership and how you demonstrate those qualities that create credibility and a reputation with others and in the workplace. The art addresses simple questions like; What makes you an inclusive leader? How do you build authentic relationships with others? In what ways are you candid and audacious in how you lead and serve others? In what situations do admit mistakes and allow others to learn from theirs? How do you motivate and help others grow and develop to their full potential?

Leadership and growing in your leadership journey is easier today than ever before. Since no one is perfect, discovering where you are in your leadership journey is the first step in determining where you want to go and what you need to do to get there. Through a variety of instruments and assessment tools, your self-discovery and increasing your self-awareness can help define who you are and what your preferences are. With a little knowledge about yourself, an action-oriented growth plan, and a network of fans and supporters, unlocking greater leader effectiveness is within your grasp.

If you are an executive or business leader looking to unlock your potential, check out my coaching page to see if leadership coaching is the right fit for you.