Leadership Horizons
This podcast aims to help leaders understand current and future leadership trends and encourage leaders to explore their horizons and understand the skills that will help them become even more successful moving forward.
Welcome to Leadership Horizons, where we explore leadership at its most transformative through two unique perspectives. I am Lois Burton, an executive coach and leadership development specialist and I've witnessed first hand how great leadership can transform organizations across sectors - from global corporations to public services, from manufacturing to the arts.
"Each week, I'll bring you either an in-depth conversation with a visionary leader who's redefining what's possible..."
"...or be inviting you to join me for focused explorations of critical leadership themes, where I'll share proven strategies and insights from my years of leadership development experience and research."
"Leadership Horizons, helping you to lead beyond boundaries -- Because the future of leadership knows no bounds. I'm looking forward to you joining me there"
Leadership Horizons
Becoming an Authentic Leader: The Power of Full Commitment
What's the pivotal moment that transforms someone from simply holding a leadership position to truly becoming a leader?
Drawing on 25 years of executive coaching experience, I reveal the single most important choice every impactful leader must make – the conscious decision to fully commit to leadership responsibility.
Throughout my career across criminal justice, retail, and higher education sectors before founding Lois Burton Limited in 2000, I've observed that exceptional leadership never happens by accident. This episode explores the profound difference between managing (which focuses on tasks, processes, and systems) and leading (which centers on influence, vision, and developing others). We examine what full commitment really means – accepting complete responsibility for your people's development, embracing vulnerability as strength, and dedicating yourself to continuous growth.
I share practical, actionable steps to help you fully commit to your leadership journey: defining your personal leadership purpose as your North Star, creating a specific development plan with scheduled time for growth, building a robust support system of mentors and accountability partners, and establishing regular self-reflection practices. Most importantly, we discuss how leadership commitment manifests as a daily choice that builds trust through consistency.
Ready to move beyond your title and embody true leadership?
Take our leadership presence quiz by clicking on the link below:
https://lois-burton-online.kit.com/16e95c98e1
or at https://loisburtononline.com to evaluate how you currently show up as a leader and identify your next growth opportunities.
Your team deserves your full commitment, and the leader you're capable of becoming is waiting for you to make this choice.
Leadership Horizons - Helping You Lead Beyond Boundaries
Hello and welcome to Leadership Horizons. I'm Lois Burton and today we're exploring a fundamental truth about leadership the moment when a leader makes the conscious choice to fully commit to leading. In my 25 years as an executive coach, I've seen one pattern emerge again and again the best leaders aren't born that way. They become that way when they make a conscious choice to fully commit to the responsibility of leadership. Back when I was working in the criminal justice sector, retail and higher education, I realised something profound Leadership wasn't just about holding a position or having a title. It was about making a choice, a daily choice to show up fully for the people you lead. That realization led me to found Lois Burton Limited in 2000, where I've had the privilege of working with so many great leaders and helping them to make their choices, and it's this understanding of choice that has driven my work ever since.
Speaker 1:Every leader I've worked with, from CEOs to emerging leaders, faces a critical moment. It's the moment when they realize that leadership isn't just something you do, it's something you choose to be. Think about it. There's a difference between managing and truly leading. Managing is about tasks, processes and systems. Leading is about influence, vision and bringing out the best in others, and that requires full commitment. So what does full commitment really mean? Full commitment to leadership means accepting total responsibility, not just for results, but for the well-being and development of your people. It means being willing to be vulnerable development of your people. It means being willing to be vulnerable. True leaders understand that vulnerability isn't weakness, it's courage. It means committing to continuous growth. I often tell my clients the moment you stop growing as a leader is the moment you start failing your team. It also means making tough choices. Sometimes, leadership means making unpopular decisions for the greater good, and this also requires courage. So how do you show up and how do you take practical steps to full leadership commitment? Let me share some practical steps you can take today to fully commit to your leadership journey.
Speaker 1:Firstly, define your leadership purpose. We've talked before about the power of purpose. Ask yourself why do I lead? What impact do I want to make? In my work with leaders, I constantly talk about the power of clarity. Your leadership purpose is your North Star. It gives you your clarity and it gives others the clarity about who you are as well. Write down your leadership purpose in one sentence. Make it personal and meaningful. It can be a long sentence, because it has to be meaningful, but take a moment to write this down for yourself today.
Speaker 1:Secondly, create your leadership development plan. A couple of episodes ago, I talked about the power of continuing to develop as a leader. I commit to over 40 hours of continuous professional development annually as an ICF accredited coach, and you also need a plan for your growth. So, if you haven't already done this, identify three specific leadership skills you want to develop this year. Schedule time for this development. The time bit is so important. Again, we've talked about overwhelm for leaders. We've talked about prioritization. Making time and committing time to your own development is so, so powerful.
Speaker 1:Thirdly, build your support system. No leader succeeds alone. I'm in regular supervision, I have a mentor, I have a personal coach and I have a strong network of colleagues and associates who help me stay accountable and are vital to my success. You need your own support system. Help me stay accountable and are vital to my success. You need your own support system. So, again, if you haven't already got these, identify at least one mentor or coach, one peer support person and one accountability partner and reach out to them today. Don't wait. Building that support system will truly help you unleash your power.
Speaker 1:Fourthly, practice self-reflection. We've talked about the radar system many times in these podcasts and there are so many tools like emotional intelligence assessments and 360 feedback that you can use for regular self-reflection. Set aside 15 minutes one day a week. Could be a Friday, could be a Monday, could be midweek but set aside 15 minutes every week for leadership reflection. What worked, what didn't, what will you do differently? Make the daily commitment. Leadership commitment isn't a one-time decision. It's a daily choice. In my book, co-authored with one of my closest friends and professional associates, debra Daly, we write about how you build trust and the importance of consistency. Leaders who make the daily commitment create trust with their people Start each day by asking how will I show up fully as a leader today? I've prepared a quiz that we're sending out this week to all of the people on our email list to give them the chance to think about their leadership presence and how they show up as a leader on a daily basis. If you'd like to access this and you're not already on our list, then please go to loisburtononlinecom and you'll be able to download the quiz today, thequizonlinecom, and you'll be able to download the quiz today.
Speaker 1:What is the transformation that follows making full commitment to leadership. When you make this commitment, something remarkable happens. You move from being someone who holds a leadership position to someone who embodies leadership. You become what I call a truly authentic and confident leader. I've seen this transformation countless times. Leaders who were struggling suddenly find their voice, teams that were disconnected become aligned and organizations that were stagnant begin to thrive.
Speaker 1:Remember, making the choice to fully commit to leadership isn't easy. It requires courage, resilience and dedication. But as someone who has spent over two decades helping leaders make this transformation, I can tell you this it's worth it. Your teams are waiting for you to make this choice. Your organisation needs you to make this choice and, perhaps most importantly, the leader you're meant to be is waiting for you to make this choice. And, perhaps most importantly, the leader you're meant to be is waiting for you to make this choice. I encourage you to take that first step today. Define your purpose, create your plan and commit to showing up fully as the leader you're capable of being. This is Lois Burton, reminding you that the choice to fully commit to leadership is yours to make. Until next time on Leadership Horizons. Thank you, as ever, for listening and for all your support.