In this last episode before the new year, I wanted to share my view on Emotional Intelligence and Leadership training for individuals who are not necessarily considered leaders in their job. They may or may not yet have climbed the ranks.
Looking back at this year, a lot of us have had the opportunity to turn inside and redefine our values. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2021 and to crushing your personal and professional goal in the new year!
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4 Must-Have Checklists for Your Kids so You Can Sit Back and Relax (While They get Ready on Their Own)
A few days back I did some research on whether it would be appealing to working moms to be considered the leader of their home.
And the backlash was unexpected and enormous. Comments were: “I am already the leader at work. I want my home to feel nurturing”, “I am done leading after a full day of work”, “My partner and I work together, no-one leads”.
This made me think. What does being a leader mean to them? Why do they have such a negative connotation with leadership? So I started to google the term “leader”
And then I turned inside. Why do we have such a negative connotation with leadership? Is it because most of us have grown up in a system where the teachers, the authorities, the parents held a power position over us most of our lives?
Is it because schools have taught us to obey and follow rules, rather than foster independent thinking and valuing collaboration, where knowledge was more important than curiosity or exploration, where taking risks was punished?
Do these experiences of powerlessness get triggered when I say “become the leader of your home”? Maybe that mom couldn’t fathom that they wish to be “nurturing in your home” is absolutely possible while being a leader. Maybe it is a lack of good leadership we experienced in our lives.
The question remains, how do we shift what leadership means to us?
A thought that crossed my mind was that we have to move from “power over” to “power with”.
One of my core beliefs in my business manifesto is: “Being a mom is the most difficult, yet rewarding leadership position you’ll ever have.”
What does leadership mean to me? This is the definition I came up with:
Leader: A person who recognizes the potential of others and inspires them to reach it by recognizing people’s strengths and helping them develop skills. Always looking to grow in their own development. Questioning the status quo, breaking out of the mold, creative thinker and self-directed learner. Making confident decisions and taking responsibility for all of the results they create in their life.
What if I told you that this is my definition of an emotionally intelligent leader? Does it make more sense now when I say we should be leaders in our own homes? Is the shift from “power over” to “power with” clear enough?
A shift from authoritarian parenting where obedience is key and punishment is a go-to to authoritative parenting, where relationships are valued and the rules are firm, kind, and clear.
It also doesn’t exclude co-parenting or co-leading with your partner. On the contrary, it would be a model where the parents and children work together as a team. Where the parents would lead the team in a way that everyone gets a voice at the table (in an age-appropriate way).
Read more
“The Leadership Flag” blog post
