What does a Business Leader look like? What does a Business Leader sound like?
I keep hearing about this business leader type that companies are searching for or trying to create.
The idea that a Leader needs to be outspoken, demanding and aggressively fighting for attention at all times is doing us all a disservice in business.
We’re telling people that aren’t like this to “step out of their comfort zone” and be confident, be loud. Which assumes that quiet confidence doesn’t have a place in leadership.
Extroverts are rewarded because they can command a room while Introverts are easily dismissed because of their quiet nature.
Powerpoint presentation skills are not the same as leadership communication skills.
We’re taught to THINK before we SPEAK. But in business we often see the people who SPEAK before they THINK being rewarded with praise and promotions.
Being the loudest in the room doesn’t make the message the most important.
Setting unrealistic expectations with assertion doesn’t make it reasonable.
This matters to me because we need more women business leaders.
This matters to me because we need more diversity in leadership and decision making.
To make this happen we need to update and open our collective mindset of what a business leader looks like.