Leading Through Change
What Is Leadership?
Leadership is the ability to guide and motivate individuals or groups towards achieving a common goal.
“Leadership is a choice, not a rank.” – Simon Sinek
Some key points from this quote:
Leadership is about behavior, not hierarchy or title. It’s demonstrated in our actions: how we listen, support, take responsibility, and how we set an example.
Anyone can choose to lead.
Leadership is service. Simon Sinek talks a lot about this. Choosing to lead means prioritizing the well-being, growth, and success of others. AKA Empowering them.
Key Principles of Leadership:
Know thyself: Be self-aware to lead with authenticity and empathy.
Great leadership starts with self-awareness. Leaders who understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots are better able to act with intention instead of reaction. This allows you to lead authentically—showing up in a way that is consistent with your values—and to lead empathetically, by recognizing how your behavior impacts others. This also allows you to hire people around you that compliment your strengths and weaknesses.
Resolve conflict with trust: Use strategies that build trust and accountability.
Conflict is inevitable in any team, but how we handle conflict defines whether it impacts morale or strengthens relationships. Leaders who approach conflict with trust– practice listening first, assuming good intent, and focusing on shared goals. Assuming good intent tends to be the hardest one for folks. Sitting down with them and trying to get them to see each other’s point of view is important.
Example: Instead of assigning blame in a missed deadline, a leader might ask the person how they’re doing and if they’re ok—the goal is to build trust and understand why the employee is acting the way they are. Then coaching them based off of their needs.
Support employees through transitions: Be present and provide guidance during change.
Being a stable presence that provides direction– not necessarily all of the answers, but being a supportive resource. Our human nature is going to tell us to hide when things get volatile, uncomfortable, and conflict arises. This is the time to be out front and available to your staff.
Transparent communication is key for building trust.
Transparent communication doesn’t mean oversharing every detail, but it does mean being upfront about what is happening, why decisions are being made, and what employees can expect. It also involves admitting when you don’t yet know all the answers, which humanizes you and builds credibility.
Define your “why” and communicate it to your team.
Are you seeing a pattern between communication and leadership? Leaders who clearly articulate the organization’s purpose—and connect daily activities to it—create stronger motivation, resilience, and unity. When teams understand the “why,” they can better navigate challenges and make decisions aligned with your mission and values.
Practical Application: What Makes a Great Leader?
Write down 1-3 for each:
What qualities do you think a leader should have?
What are some conflict resolution strategies that build trust and accountability?
Write down your biggest leadership strengths and weaknesses.
*There are no wrong answers here, this is an opportunity to be reflective and choose what kind of leader you want to be. The more we understand what that looks like, the easier it is to practice. We want our actions to follow our words. IE: if you want to be the kind of leader that is calm when faced with challenges, then you want this to reflect in your actions next time you encounter a change or conflict. Remember, no one is expecting you to be perfect, we all make mistakes, but the more you can practice, own up to your mistakes, and lead with transparency– the more buy-in you'll have from your staff.
