If You Are A Leader, Someone's Watching

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I just posted a LinkedIn carousel with this idea and content, but I thought it deserved to be here, as my lack of posting on Substack the past six months has been because of my why: my family.

Writing is the best creative outlet I have, and also integral to my coaching business. But the entire reason for solo entrepreneurship in the coaching industry is to both provide for my family and be a positive role model. If putting time and energy towards it takes time away from my family - it’s not worth it. It would put me at risk for not having a family when the grind finally was over. It would be a hollow and inauthentic legacy.

If you are in leadership role at work or aspire to be and also have a family this post is for you.

If you have children, you are a leader. Leadership does not start when you are able to hold a conversation with them. It starts the moment that they lay eyes on you - you are their model for every behavior and those first few years are absolutely critical.

Often times when we think about our career or personal growth, we frame it in terms of how it applies and affects just us. But we don't live in a vacuum, and the truth is that our growth is directly tied to the growth if those around us.

Now, of course, when you get to be an adult and you have a partner, your friends, your family, or a team - they have the choice to not to grow themselves.

But children are always watching.

And so you can write your newsletter, or focus on social media content. Take calls, do interviews and ignore your children.

Or, you can create a structure to where you have time with them separate from work, and while there is a certain period that is nearly impossible to do, that doesn't mean there's not some way around it.

But finding that path will be up to you and your family dynamics, there's no one size fit all.

This principle extends to when you're leading a team or a department and the time that you are (or not) providing leadership guidance

Modeling how to lead or providing mentorship to your people does not start or end with 1:1's Zoom meetings, more leadership development programs, or performance reviews.

Your people are constantly watching you're actions, temperament, perspective, and strategic outlook. You are setting the example to be followed, or disavowed.

How you lead will determine how they will form and develop their style: so similar to how you might work on self-improvement personal self or go to therapy in order to not leave behind any generational traumas to your kids, do the same for your professional life.

Do self-audit of your leadership style, and look back to find where it's roots lie.

What toxicity needs to be weeded out, what needs to be further cultivated?

Personal or professional, ask yourself:

What legacy do you want to pass on to the next generation?

I’ll be diving into this topic in more depth in my next newsletter issue, coming out later this month.