Episode 06: The Magic of Your [Leadership] Why
Three Simple Letters Hold Big Impact
Knowing and sharing your leadership ‘why’ is not only important to self-awareness - it increases your satisfaction and effectiveness at being the leader your team needs. Enjoy!
Listen Here:
(The notes below are only a brief summary of what is discussed in the podcast. Be sure to listen to get all of the goodness! If you would like a full transcription of the episode, please send an email request to: angie@angie-robinson.com. We’d be happy to provide that!)
I believe one of the most powerful attributes a leader can have is that of curiosity. Curiosity is having that strong desire to learn or know something. To dig deeper and go beneath the surface.
And one of the most simple yet powerful words that cracks open curiosity is WHY. Three letters that can open up an understanding that goes deep and broad.
Asking WHY is the best way to get context in any situation. It eliminates confusion and minimizes the damage that can be created by assumptions. It expands our knowledge and can provide so much clarity. It has the power to create understanding and even bring people to the same page.
Being curious and asking ‘why’ is a skill and an action that is essential for connecting with those you are leading.
But that is not the context of WHY I want to talk about in this episode.
I want to talk about YOUR why - WHY as a noun. Your WHY for doing what you do. And even deeper - your WHY for being a leader. Your WHY equalling your reason or your purpose.
I want to invite you to look at your leadership through the lens of purpose. Because if you don’t see it as a fulfillment of purpose, you may end up leading for all the wrong reasons.
Purposeless leaders get into their roles for a number of misguided reasons, including:
To have a bigger paycheck
For an increased sense of power or prestige
For higher status inside the organization, as well as within the community
For a nicer office and other workplace perks
For an ego boost that is fueled by the ability to give orders to others
Still others get into leadership because it was chosen for them. Or they found themselves in leadership roles after a series of promotions. They have never really examined their leadership “whys,” which almost always leads to struggle.
Whether you are an entrepreneur, an employee, a leader of a team, or are looking to find clarity on your next move, your WHY is the one constant that will guide you toward fulfillment in your work and life.
Another reason that I think this matters is this: As a leader (whatever that means to you) our plates get full. The duties and expectations can pile on. The special projects or email requests or “we just need your help for this little bit” can come out of the woodwork. And we can lose sight of why we started doing what we are doing in the first place. If we get misaligned – we start to experience overwhelm, burnout, resentment, dissatisfaction, etc. When we experience any of those – it shows up in our actions – which impacts the very people we are leading and/or the customers (people) we are serving.
Or – if you forget about or don’t know your ‘why’, you might just be going through the motions. I have worked with people who were in management roles with leadership expectations that would seemingly go through the motions of managing the work – but not necessarily show up as a leader. I would know because employees would appear unmotivated, would complain, were unproductive, would have low scores on engagement surveys, etc. Those leaders either lost their leadership ‘why’ – or never really knew what it was.
And that isn’t a win for anyone.
Leaders who know exactly why they want to lead understand the role of purpose in their lives and careers. They aren’t in it for the money, prestige or status. They lead because they recognize the positive impacts they can make by matching their talents to roles in leadership.
So, understanding your leadership ‘why’ is critical to your own satisfaction and success and your ability to inspire others and impact the work experiences of others.
If you want to ensure that you make the right choices for you and the people you care about, you have to start by asking yourself, “Why do I want to lead?” Your leadership “why” is the foundation for every choice you make.
Simon Sinek is a leading expert on the topic of finding your why. He developed a simple concept called the Golden Circle:
He also says that “people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” I believe that to be true.
The WHY is your fuel. To do things effectively, you need to know what kind of fuel you are using. You need the right kind of fuel to really make an impact and be satisfied.
To find your leadership why – here are some questions you can dig into:
When you first became a leader - what drove you to do that?
As a leader - when have you been at your natural best?
As a leader - when have you been most LOVING your work?
What parts of your career do you love being a part of?
If your reasons are things like to have power, because I was told to or because it came with the promotion - you may want to examine if being in a leadership role is the right thing for you.
Some examples of leadership ‘why’ might include:
To inspire others
To make a difference
To grow myself and others
My leadership why certainly evolved over time. In general - it came down to this: To create a work environment where people could love what they do, where they do it, and develop along the way. I wanted to be a part of making that happen. I wanted to make that kind of difference in the lives of the people I led. (my team and the greater organization)
When you know your ‘why’, ask yourself these additional questions:
Am I grounding myself in my ‘why’ every day in everything I do? Notice when you are veering off and come back to it.
Do the people around me KNOW my why? Have I told them? Do they see it in my actions? Do they see it in how I show up?
One example of a person who I believe grounds himself in his ‘why’ in everything he does and shares it with others in Disney expert, podcaster, speaker and business mentor - Lou Mongello.
So – here is my challenge for you:
Take some time and really examine your ‘why’ (using the questions above). Both your ‘why’ for what you do AND your leadership ‘why’.
As I close out this episode – I want to share with you my CURRENT why: I believe so hard that you have everything you need to have the life (as a leader and otherwise) that you most want. I want to help you see it for yourself and make it happen.
What do you think?
Have you ever really examined your leadership why?
Can you articulate your why?
Are you aligned with your why in all you do?
Do the people you lead know your why?
Links
Simon Sinek: Learn more about his books and training courses around finding your why
Lou Mongello: Discover Lou’s podcast (WDW Radio Show) and his speaking and business mentorship offerings
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