Embrace Your Uniqueness
June 6, 2024 | By David M. Wagner
The colorful and peaceful celebrations of Pride month are a sharp contrast to the violent rebellion that Pride, in part, commemorates.
Even the term, “Pride,” is boldly defiant. It is a declaration by LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies that queerness is a cause for celebration, not shame, as maintained by their oppressors.
Pressure to conform is rampant.
Sometimes that pressure takes the form of persecution, biases, and even hate. Often, the mere presence of widespread norms and unchallenged beliefs make it difficult to stand out.
But powerful things happen when we take pride in those characteristics that make us unique, despite those pressures.
We Lead with Authenticity
Being authentic draws others to your style of leadership.
“People respond and connect to other people who are real, flaws and all,” according to Karissa Thacker.
Even organizations can embrace unique attributes. Southwest Airlines, for example, consistently rates highest in customer satisfaction in part because it openly adopts a fun, quirky culture – hardly the norm for an airline.
What are some unexpected behaviors you or your team can embrace that would feel more natural – more authentic – to who you are?
We Lead with Our Values
Identifying your values is a way of saying, “This is what’s most important to me/us.”
And the clearer you are about your values, the easier it is to make decisions that might otherwise feel daunting.
Your values might not conform to what others expect or to what’s “normal” in your field. It’s ok to be weird. In fact, online shoe retailer Zappos adopted “weirdness” as a corporate value.
What are your defining characteristics, however unusual, as a person or as a team? How might you honor those values that others reject?
We Lead with Our Strengths
You bring something unique to the table that no one else can, because no one else (and no other organization) is you.
And what makes you stand out is often a tremendous asset.
A sense of humor in a stodgy setting. Being personable in a field that prizes “professional distance.” Favoring quiet reflection when everyone else is boisterous.
Being different is often exactly what your team, or your industry, needs – even if it feels incredibly uncomfortable (the good kind) to buck existing norms.
What unique traits are you or your team hesitant to bring out into the open? How might those characteristics provide an unexpected boon to your mission or your leadership?
Embrace what makes you you (as an individual or as an organization), instead of conforming to limiting beliefs about how you “should” be. Every month is the right time to find the courage to be yourself a little more genuinely – and to honor the authenticity of those around you.
I help individuals and teams leverage their unique strengths through leadership coaching and strategic planning. Ready to lean into what makes you different? Set a free consultation today.