Meddlers

In the last few years, I’ve noticed more leaders sharing the perspective that to be great, they must lead authentically — that being our most true and genuine selves at work is the gold standard. The underlying belief is that if we can be ourselves without having to adapt to each situation or circumstance, we won’t compromise our character. Overall, being yourself is an undeniably GOOD thing; however, in trying this on and figuring out what it means to be authentic, there is more to it than your own authenticity. In fact, trying to lead authentically can fall short in certain situations.

When authenticity translates as not having to change based on circumstance, poor leadership can arise. In reality, there are always exceptions, situations, and circumstances that require you to adapt as a leader vs. doing what feels “natural” or “authentic” in the moment. Taken too far, the idea of authenticity can actually inhibit our ability to change, grow, and move beyond our comfort zone.

Bill George, professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School and pioneer of authentic leadership, believes that leadership is about recognizing your strengths and limitations and building upon them, rather than trying to become a different person to fit a certain criteria. Authentic leadership includes acknowledging the needs of others and working toward addressing those needs to serve your organization through leadership. Authentic leaders spend a significant amount of time thinking about those needs and bringing solutions to life through their action and behavior.

https://meddlers.com/resources/risks-authenticity-how-make-authentic-leadership-work-everyone

Has the perilous thought ever occurred to you that you will never reach the end of your to-do list? There will always be something more to do, another task to complete, and one more box to check. But we’re humans, not machines, so we need to be gentle without ourselves — no matter who you are, you only get 24 hours in a day. Ignoring this and pushing to do more will send you into a real downward spiral. Plus, our moods are consistently inconsistent, which makes it even harder at times to continue on with the monotonous (yet chaotic!) routine of the never-ending to-do list.

Regardless of how you do your to-dos — digital calendars, whiteboards, journals, voice messages to yourself — there are methods of getting the best out of lists without allowing them to become a source of all-consuming stress. These include the mental check-in/check-out, identifying natural start and stop points, defining “good enough,” and setting boundaries.

https://meddlers.com/resources/how-cope-never-ending-do-list