Are You Stuck as a Leader? Let Go!
If you’ve read some of my recent posts, you probably know that writing does not come easily to me. Not that I can’t write or that I don’t write well enough, but that writing forces me to put something on the page, something that was hidden away. To write, I have to reveal something, first to myself, and then, if I share it, to countless others, laying it bare for reactions and opinions.
It’s that very act of revealing, you could say that “act of trust”, allowing ourselves to be known and heard, that opens the door to connection. By revealing who you are, out loud, to yourself and others, you invite people to identify with you or to differ from you or to understand, relate, and bring something of themselves to the table.
A colleague recently told me a story about a CEO of a major corporation who was stuck as a leader because of his rigid, removed style. As a result, there was a lack of spark and fluidity in the company that limited the commitment and engagement of its workers, and consequently the results.
This leader had the willingness to move past his comfort zone and, with the help of his coaches, he began to speak to his people openly, including personal stories that made him accessible and relatable. The way he now dealt with people transformed the way his company functioned. He opened communications and connections and inspired motivation, responsiveness and growth, important characteristics for a living and breathing entity to survive and flourish.
His shift also changed the values of the culture and he wound up firing one of his top regional performers, someone who was highly productive but could not be wrong. Someone who could not tolerate admitting error or not knowing. The CEO now knew that these traits would eventually cause blockages in the operating system and undermine the company.
So the CEO fired him.
The CEO’s personal presence and relate-ability transformed this very large corporation into a thriving entity.
It is the very thing that scares us – exposure, being found out, being too real – that is critical to our success. It is our relate-ability that allows us to be and work together in dynamic and powerful ways.
I intend to continue to put myself out there and risk the satisfaction of greater connection and creativity.
What about you?
© 2013 Naaz Hosseini. All Rights Reserved. Copying or reposting this content without written permission is strictly prohibited
About the Author: Naaz Hosseini
Naaz Hosseini is a singer, dancer, psychotherapist, and voice empowerment coach. She developed Powerful Presence™ coaching to help corporate and entrepreneurial women step into their vocal power to command the attention and respect they deserve. As a NYS Licensed Psychoanalyst and Qualified Gestalt Therapist, she supervises and trains mental health counselors at Teachers College Columbia University and therapists at the Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training. She served as visiting faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Project Zero Summer Institute for ten years where Howard Gardner has said, "With enthusiasm, I recommend Naaz Hosseini, a pioneer in using the voice and the body for understanding." 
Hi Naaz,
That’s a very insightful post. Being an introvert, I appreciate it when I hear of others who have taken steps to share more. I share way more than I used to, and it still makes me cringe sometimes. But it’s true what you said — it makes us more relatable and human. Thanks for sharing this.