Column: Decide & Design Your Leadership Style
[Column written by Jessica Lightbourne, which is Part 5 of a five part series]
Part 5: Decide and Design Your Leadership Style
As a Black man, your leadership journey can have additional challenges and as you work your career to the next level, showing up powerfully in the boardroom can be the make or break. Jessica Lightbourne PCC, a leadership coach specialising in career development for Black male executives, concludes this series to guide you on your executive leadership path.
In previous articles we’ve explored the four communication styles and how to understand them. To recap, they are 1] Be direct, be clear, 2] Make them laugh, 3] Remember the greater good and 4] Provide data. Now let’s consider the type of leader you are and who you want to be.
Manage Your Emotions. It’s lonely at the top. It is also challenging. This is true for cisgendered, white men and it sure is true for BIPOC leaders. In fact, it’s not just lonely at the top, but it is lonely at the bottom, middle and on the way to the top for BIPOC people, especially in the corporate world, and especially when there is no one in your environment who looks [or perhaps even thinks] like you. This inevitably brings forth a range of emotions that you can stuff down and numb, or deal with. Even [and especially] in the boardroom, emotions can fly high. You have a whole inner world to take care of. If you do not manage your emotions, they will manage you. They will manifest in weird and wonderful ways and will knock you off your game.
Pay attention. What triggers you? What stresses you? How can you prepare for and mitigate those triggers and stressors so that you are not caught off guard? Which stressors can you eliminate now? What calms you? What strengthens you? What brings you joy? What eases your stress? Now make a plan and execute. Your emotions shape your experience of the world and how the world experiences you. Make sure you have things handled before and after your meetings.
Care for Your Body. Leaders need extra care, because they are not only taking care of themselves. You need even more care as you navigate the systems and mindsets that produce barriers to your success. You know what to do. Eat nutritious foods to fuel you. Move your body. Get sufficient rest. Get back to basics. When you do this you will have more energy, be more efficient and more pleasant to be around. You will also look fly in your custom made suits.
Remember Who You Are. What once were called “soft skills” are now called “power skills”. They are how you win friends and influence in business and life. Through control orientation, emotional intelligence, strategic communication, and self-regulation you are changing the game.
You are powerful. You are a walking miracle. You are a worthy human being. You are the descendant of the first man. You are the dream of the slave. You are an unconquerable soul.
- Jessica Lightbourne PCC, is a co-founder of International Coaching & Leadership Institute [ICLI], specialising in coaching BIPOC leaders to aspire to and achieve exponential career advancement. If you’ve enjoyed this series of articles, drop Jess a note at jessica@iclitraining.com
