Leadership isn't one-size-fits-all
Why leading like you is the key to your success
Imagine walking into work wearing someone else’s clothes. Maybe the sleeves are too long, the waist is too tight, or the shoes pinch your toes. The colours, design and patterns are all wrong too. All day, you feel awkward, uncomfortable, not quite yourself.
By the time you get home, you’re exhausted—not just from the physical discomfort, but from the mental effort of pretending you were comfortable when you weren’t.
That’s how leadership can feel when you try to inhabit someone else’s style.
We’ve all been there. You might have read a new article, listened to your favourite leadership podcast, or received some advice from a well-meaning manager or mentor. So, you try it on. Maybe you attempt to be more direct, more charismatic, more authoritative, more whatever.
And for a while, it’s ok, you might even see some results, but it doesn’t quite fit. It feels unnatural and it’s draining.
It’s not just you who notices. Your team does too. They pick up on the shift in you and your slight discomfort. Something’s different. What’s going on? Can I trust this?
So, what’s the alternative? It’s simple, but not always easy: be yourself.
That doesn’t mean staying the same and failing to grow and mature. It means understanding who you are as a leader—your natural strengths, your values, your quirks—and leading from that place, whilst continuing to grow and mature. And the first step in doing that is getting to know yourself better.
Begin by noticing:
When do you feel most at ease and effective in your leadership?
When do you feel like you’re trying too hard or playing a role?
What feedback do you hear most often about your strengths?
What moments of leadership feel truly like you?
Pause and take time to notice your patterns, take note of what energises you and what drains you, observe when you feel most like yourself and when you feel a bit awkward or not quite at home in your own skin.
From there, you can refine, strengthen, and expand your leadership in a way that works for you. Not by squeezing into someone else’s leadership style, but by tailoring your own. Because the best leadership—the kind that builds trust, confidence, and long-term success—is the kind that fits you just right.
If you’re feeling stuck in a habit of leading like everyone else, exhausted with the effort this takes, and longing to be yourself and enjoy impactful, joyful, & sustainable leadership, let’s explore working together and start your journey to Leading Like You!