Are You A Quiet Trailblazer?

#3 – Originally Published on August 9, 2024

For most of my life, my “definition” of leadership was off. With two older brothers who sounded like elephants on a stampede when running through the house, I was the shy and quiet one, who you may not even notice was in the room.

And while I have held leadership roles in a variety of capacities since high school, if you asked me what I thought a leader “looked like,” I always pictured a very dominant and forceful take charge kind of guy – yes, guy – If you’ve read my book, you know my life was male-dominated for the first 45 years.

The truth is, leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and we need each and every one of them. Depending on the situation and/or task to be accomplished, a high D (dominant behavioral style – I’ll share more about DISC in future issues) may be just what’s needed. But sometimes you may need someone who’s more in tune to the team and how they would handle the situation, or someone who’s more reflective and may need a little space to determine all of the options before choosing the best one.

At the end of the day, there’s no one right way to lead, which is why it’s so important that YOU define what authentic leadership looks like and means to you. Because if there is one thing we DO NEED, it’s authenticity, and permission to be our true selves (consider your’s now granted).

The introduction to my book is titled The Quiet Trailblazer, and that’s what I’ve been for most of my life. When I set my sights on a task or a goal, I’m a “head down, get it done quietly and quickly” kind of gal. I don’t need fanfare or accolades, or even much help, just the joy of knowing the project has been completed to my standards. And while it has served me well in many cases, there have been times when I should have stepped out of my comfort zone, asked for help, or even celebrated an accomplishment publicly, but didn’t. We’re all works in progress, myself included.

Despite what you may have been led to believe, introverts can actually make great leaders. We’re great listeners and tend to think things through in a different way than our fellow extroverted leaders. And while our styles may differ, we can all become great leaders once we’re aware of HOW we operate best and are willing to step out of our comfort zones for the sake of ourselves as well as our teams.

For introverts, that may mean speaking up more often, and for extroverts, it may mean listening more than you share. Either way, self-awareness and building the inner confidence that you have what it takes to be a great leader are where it all begins….

What kind of leader would you LIKE to be, and what steps can you take TODAY to get you moving in the right direction?

Get the latest issue right in your inbox every week . . . Sign Me Up 📧